Tag Archives: women’s college basketball

Last-place Wichita State women hold off UTSA, 62-61

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The UTSA women’s basketball team traveled to Kansas to play the last-place Wichita State Shockers on Saturday, intent on generating momentum by picking up a victory in their fifth-to-last, regular-season game.

The Shockers had other ideas entirely, breaking open a close battle behind Jaila Harding in the third quarter and then holding on to defeat the defending conference champions, 62-61, at Koch Arena.

For the Roadrunners, it was a humbling experience, losing for the third time this season against a bottom-of-the-pack team in the American Conference.

It was also frustrating. They trailed by 10 with seven minutes remaining and made a furious charge that brought them to within one in the final 40 seconds.

After a Damara Allen basket pulled UTSA within the final score, the Roadrunners made a defensive stop. Going for the win, they pushed it up the court, with guard Ereauna Hardaway on the dribble.

When she dribbled into the key, Hardaway went up for the shot, but it was blocked by Jaida McDonald as time expired.

Harding, a graduate transfer from New Mexico State, led the Shockers with 19 points. She had 12 in the third quarter as her team started to take control of the game. Abby Cater scored 12 and Diamond Richardson 11.

Cheyenne Rowe, UTSA’s leading scorer, contributed 23 for the Roadrunners for her fourth effort in the 20s this season. In the end, it was Rowe leading the comeback, as she notched 12 in the fourth period.

Idara Udo had a double double with 10 points and 10 rebounds before fouling out in the fourth quarter.

The loss, UTSA’s second straight, left the Roadrunners (12-13, 7-7) in sixth place in the American. South Florida and North Texas (both 9-5) sit just ahead of UTSA in the standings.

Charlotte (6-7) is a half game behind going into a game scheduled later Saturday at North Texas.

Ten teams qualify for the American’s postseason event, with the tournament scheduled for March 10-14 in Birmingham. Teams seeded seventh through 10th must win five games in five days to win the title.

The fifth and sixth seeds get a first-round bye and a four-game route to the championship. Teams seeded third and fourth are rewarded with a double bye and can get the title and the NCAA automatic bid with three wins.

Records

UTSA 12-13, 7-7
Wichita State 6-21, 3-11

Coming up

UTSA at North Texas, Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.

First half

In the first half, UTSA played a more physical style and dominated in rebounding, 23-12. But Wichita State scored eight points off 18 turnovers. By intermission, the teams went into intermission tied, 24-24.

For the Roadrunners, forward Rowe led with seven points, while Udo scored six and pulled down nine rebounds. Harding scored seven points to lead the Shockers.

Forward Treasure Thompson scored five points in the half as the Shockers outscored the Roadrunners in bench points, 11-0.

First quarter

They Roadrunners didn’t play their best in the first quarter, but they did emerge with a 12-11 lead when forward Rowe hit a long jumper from the top of the key at the buzzer.

Forward Mia Hammonds contributed six points in the period, getting one bucket on a driving layup off the fast break and also hitting four for four at the free-throw line.

The Shockers played well defensively, holding the Roadrunners to four of 13 shooting from the field and forcing four turnovers. Jaila Harding had four points in the period.

Second quarter

Wichita State continued to play with aggression defensively, forcing a spate of turnovers in the first few minutes of the second quarter.

Later, UTSA went through a two-minute scoring drought.

When Harding and Diamond Richardson knocked down back-to-back three pointers, the Shockers had their largest lead of the game at 24-20. UTSA responded with tough play under the boards.

Offensive rebounds led to the Roadrunners’ last two baskets, one by Udo and the other by Rowe, to tie the score.

Third quarter

Harding hit three 3-point baskets and exploded for 12 points in the third period as Wichita State took control of the game, 49-40.

Playing big strong in the rebounding department, the Shockers outscored the Roadrunners, 25-16 in the quarter.

Near the end of the period, guard Diamond Richardson made plays on both ends of the floor to blunt UTSA’s momentum.

After foiling a breakaway layup, she emerged on the other to hit a layup for a four-point swing.

Notable

The Roadrunners have had difficult experiences in their past two games against teams in the bottom tier of the American Conference standings. On Jan. 23, UTSA lost 52-40 at the Memphis Tigers. On Feb. 3, UTSA fell 81-69 to the UAB Blazers in Birmingham.

UTSA will play at North Texas on Tuesday, facing a team that probably wants some payback. Cheyenne Rowe produced 27 points and 11 rebounds as the Roadrunners defeated the Mean Green 66-64 in San Antonio on Jan. 28.

UTSA women host South Florida in American Conference showdown

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The South Florida Bulls and the UTSA Roadrunners will meet today at the Convocation Center in an American Conference women’s basketball showdown.

Last month, the Roadrunners traveled into Tampa, Fla., undefeated in conference play and took a pounding from the Bulls, 70-53.

South Florida buried UTSA with 10 three-pointers, including five by Jelena Bulajic and three more by Edyn Battle.

It was the start of a stretch in which the Roadrunners dropped five of seven games and basically played their way out of contention for a second straight regular-season title.

In the rematch, UTSA will have a chance to even the score from a pride standpoint. The second meeting of the schools also will have postseason implications.

Going into games today, South Florida and Tulsa (both 8-4) are tied for third in the American standings. North Texas and UTSA (both 7-5) are tied for fifth.

A victory would allow the Roadrunners to stay in the chase for third or fourth place at the end of the regular season.

Finishing third or fourth is meaningful in that those two teams would need to win only three games in three days next month in Birmingham to claim the American’s postseason title.

Fifth or sixth-place teams would need to win four games in four days.

Records

South Florida 15-10, 8-4
UTSA 12-11, 7-5

Coming up

South Florida at UTSA, Saturday, 6:30 p.m.
UTSA at Wichita State, Feb. 21, 1 p.m.

Notable

In a 52-43 home victory over the Temple Owls Tuesday night, the Roadrunners hit only one of 15 shots from three-point range.

UTSA is 53 of 188 on threes in 12 conference games for 28.2 percent.

UTSA is outscoring opponents by an average of 60.2 to 58.5 points per game in conference. The team’s point production in conference ranks last in the league, while the team ranks first in points allowed.

UTSA sophomore forward Mia Hammonds emerged from a shooting slump in the Temple game Tuesday night, scoring 10 points on five of seven shooting.

In her three previous games, she scored only a combined nine points and shot two for 14 from the field.

An energy player who can contribute in multiple facets of the game when she’s playing well, Hammonds enters the South Florida game averaging 6.9 points and 5.3 rebounds.

Rowe scores 26 as the UTSA women down Temple, 52-43

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Cheyenne Rowe. UTSA beat Temple 52-43 in American Conference women's basketball on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Forward Cheyenne Rowe produced 26 points and 11 rebounds in a victory that keeps UTSA within striking distance of a top-four finish in the conference race. – Photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The UTSA Roadrunners played gritty defense, they rebounded and then they passed the ball to Cheyenne Rowe.

Rowe, a 6-2 senior forward, did the rest.

She hit 11 of 19 shots from the field for 26 points as the Roadrunners downed the Temple Owls 52-43 for their second straight win in the American Conference.

Both Rowe and forward Idara Udo pulled down 11 rebounds as UTSA out-boarded Temple, 43-29. Mia Hammonds scored 10 points, including eight in the third quarter.

Rowe clinched a 2-0 season sweep of the Owls by scoring 10 points in the fourth period on five of nine shooting.

Idara Udo. UTSA beat Temple 52-43 in American Conference women's basketball on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA forward Idara Udo had five points and a team-high tying 11 rebounds against Temple in a performance that followed an 18-point showing at Tulsa last Saturday. – Photo by Joe Alexander

“Just super proud of our team today,” UTSA coach Karen Aston said. “I didn’t think it was the easiest win. Both teams, you could really tell they knew each other. You could tell (we were) in the grind of conference play, and both teams knew exactly what the other was going to run.

“They were prepared, and it just got down to who could really buckle down in the second half and get the consecutive stops and maybe execute a little better offensively. I thought the difference in the game was we had 11 turnovers at the half and finished with 14.

“Taking care of the basketball and giving ourselves a chance to get a shot off was really the difference.”

For the Owls, forward Saniyah Craig produced a double double with 13 points and 12 rebounds.

As for Temple’s explosive backcourt, UTSA effectively shut down guards Kaylah Turner and Tristen Taylor.

Turner entered the game averaging 17 points and leading the conference in scoring, while Taylor had been an 11-point, four-assist wizard with the ball.

UTSA held Turner to 12 points on five of 14 shooting. She scored only two in the second half when the Roadrunners secured the game.

Taylor, from Duncanville High School in the Dallas area, went scoreless in the game on zero for two field-goal shooting. Moreover, she had three assists and three turnovers.

In the first meeting between the teams, on Jan. 3 in Philadelphia, UTSA won 50-47. And even though Taylor scored 18 points, Turner was held to seven on three of 18 shooting.

Adriana Robles. UTSA beat Temple 52-43 in American Conference women's basketball on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Freshman Adriana Robles scored four points and had three assists and two rebounds in 25 minutes. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Rowe, for her part, enjoyed two big games this year against the Owls. In Philadelphia, she produced 14 points and 18 rebounds. In San Antonio, it was more of an offensive tour de force.

She said patience was the key.

“Tried to see where I could get an open shot, where my teammates were going to open up the shot for me,” Rowe said. “I got to hand it to them for cutting. Cut assists are amazing in basketball.”

Udo said it’s “awesome” to be back with the team. For more than six weeks, she sat out with an injury. Now, after playing five games, the 6-1 power forward is starting to assert herself.

“I love getting out here and playing with my team and helping us stack wins together,” she said. “My time off was great, too. I got to be a good teammate and tried to be a leader and take on a different role.”

Records

Temple 10-13, 4-7
UTSA 12-11, 7-5

Coming up

South Florida at UTSA, Saturday, 6:30 p.m.

Notable

From Jan. 13 to Feb. 3, the Roadrunners hit a slump, losing five of seven games. Now, after winning last Saturday at Tulsa and again Tuesday night against Temple, they’ve seemingly turned the corner.

Karen Aston. UTSA beat Temple 52-43 in American Conference women's basketball on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Karen Aston’s UTSA Roadrunners beat Temple and improved its record to 12-11 overall and 7-5 in the American. – Photo by Joe Alexander

It’s a push that has allowed them to stay within striking distance of a fourth-place finish in the conference, which is rewarded with a double-bye into the 10-team postseason tournament.

Teams with the double bye gain the advantage of a shorter route to the American postseason title and the automatic NCAA tournament berth.

Teams finishing from seventh through 10th must win five games in five days to claim the title.

Teams finishing fifth and sixth will need to win four games in four days, while teams in third and fourth start in the quarterfinals, needing three wins in three days.

The top two seeds start in the semifinals, two wins on back-to-back days away from the automatic NCAA berth.

Right now, the Rice Owls (11-0), East Carolina Pirates (10-2) and Tulsa Golden Hurricane (8-3) are first through third, respectively.

The South Florida Bulls (7-4) are fourth, only a half game ahead of the Roadrunners and the North Texas Mean (both at 7-5).

South Florida hosts third-place Tulsa on Wednesday night and then travels into San Antonio to play UTSA on Saturday.

With the 18-game schedule winding down, the Bulls-Roadrunners rematch should be interesting.

Incidentally, the Bulls started the Roadrunners’ five-losses in seven-games skid by winning 70-53 on Jan. 13 in Tampa.

In that game, South Florida knocked down 10 three-point baskets to hand UTSA its most lopsided loss in conference this season.

First half

Locked in a defensive struggle, the Roadrunners and the Owls battled to a 21-21 tie at intermission. Rowe hit five of six shots from the field and scored 12 points to lead the Roadrunners.

Temple coach Diane Richardson. UTSA beat Temple 52-43 in American Conference women's basketball on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Diane Richardson’s Temple Owls led the Roadrunners 17-13 after the first quarter but couldn’t hold on. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Unfortunately for UTSA, the rest of the team made only three of 14. Also, the Roadrunners’ offense stagnated against the Owls in other ways, often passing up open shots while turning the ball over 11 times.

The Roadrunners stayed in the game with an aggressive defense that limited the Owls to nine of 27 shooting for 33 percent. Temple guard Kaylah Turner supplied most of the firepower for the visitors, scoring 10 points on four of eight from the field.

UTSA women prepare for rematch against Temple’s dynamic duo

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The UTSA Roadrunners women survived one meeting against Kaylah Turner and Tristen Taylor this season. They’ll need to buckle up for another challenge tonight.

The Roadrunners will host two of the most dynamic guards in the American Conference when they play the Temple Owls at 6:30 p.m. at the Convocation Center.

Temple women's basketball coach Diane Richardson. Temple defeated UTSA 56-48 in American Athletic Conference women's basketball on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Coach Diane Richardson has led the Temple women to back-to-back, 20-win seasons. The Owls (10-12, 4-6) are in town for a Tuesday night matchup against the UTSA Roadrunners (11-11, 6-5). – Photo by Joe Alexander

Turner is the leading scorer in the conference. The 5-6 junior from Jacksonville, Fla., averages 17.4 points.

Twice, she has scored in the 30s this season and six more times in the 20s for the Owls (10-12, 4-6), who are one of the most respected ball clubs in the bottom tier of the American’s standings.

In a Jan. 3 meeting against UTSA at Philadelphia, the Roadrunners did a good job defensively, holding Turner to one of her worst showings this season, three of 18 shooting from the field and seven points.

As a result, the Owls let a home game get away, losing 50-47 to the Roadrunners. It was a different narrative altogether in regard to Taylor, a 5-5 junior from Duncanville High School in the Dallas area.

She produced 18 points, three assists and a pair of steals. At the end, she just missed on a three-point shot that would have sent the game into overtime.

Given the background on the first meeting of the season with the Owls, and considering that Taylor has gone on to average 11.2 points and 4.3 assists, the Roadrunners (11-11, 6-5) are approaching Tuesday night’s rematch with eyes wide open.

UTSA coach Karen Aston knows from experience that even if a team holds one of those two down, the other is capable of willing Temple to victory.

“With Tristen, it was her first game back after an injury when we played up there,” Aston said Monday. “I’m not sure we had a handle on her game. I would expect that we’d be a little more prepared for her (Tuesday).

“Everyone in the league is prepared for Turner, and she’s still the leading scorer in the conference. So that tells you of her talent right there. She can be on everybody’s top of the scout, and she still gets the job done. Just two dynamic guards.”

The Owls could use the same adjective about UTSA forward Cheyenne Rowe. In the teams’ first meeting, Rowe exploded for 14 points and 18 rebounds. The 6-2 senior from Canada has been UTSA’s best player this season, averaging 13.5 and 8.8.

In the rematch, Temple will be tasked with another frontcourt challenge in dealing with forward Idara Udo.

Udo sat out the game in Philadelphia with a lower leg injury. But after missing six weeks of action, she has returned, playing the last four games for the Roadrunners.

Udo, a preseason second team, all-conference selection, scored a season-high 18 points Saturday in a 66-47 road victory at Tulsa. Aston is happy to have the 6-1 junior from Plano back on the floor and gaining confidence.

“Obviously it was a long time off for her,” the coach said. “You don’t expect someone to roll in after time off and be sharp (immediately) and be in game shape and all of that. So I think it’s a process for her. I’m proud of her patience with this. It kind of forced her to step back and mature a little bit.

“She had a lot of her own personal expectations, and it’s actually given her time to give herself some grace. She looked a little sharper on Saturday, and I think every game we play, she’ll get a little sharper and a little bit better game shape. Get her timing back.

“Again, it just takes time when someone’s missed as many games as she has.”

Records

Temple 10-12, 4-5
UTSA 11-11, 6-5

Coming up

Temple at UTSA, Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.
South Florida at UTSA, Saturday, 6:30 p.m.

Last-place UAB women surge past defending champion UTSA

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The last-place UAB Blazers shot 64 percent in a dominant third quarter in Birmingham on Tuesday night and then cruised to an 81-69 victory over the UTSA Roadrunners in American Conference women’s basketball.

Leading by five at the half, UAB (9-13, 2-8) went on an 18-4 run in the first five minutes after halftime and outscored UTSA 27-14 in the third behind the scoring of Cali Smallwood and freshman Sofia Munoz.

In the end, the Blazers’ 81 points represented a season high for a UTSA opponent.

With the win, Randy Norton-coached UAB claimed its second victory in a row and its first in the opening game of the second half of the conference slate. Defense-minded UTSA (10-11, 5-5) yielded 56 percent shooting for the game in losing its second straight.

The defending conference champion Roadrunners, who opened conference play at 3-0, have dropped five of their last seven.

The last two Roadrunners’ losses have come in the last four days. UTSA dropped a 65-55 decision to the first-place Rice Owls on Saturday in San Antonio and then had a quick turnaround for the Tuesday night game in Alabama.

UTSA will play next on Saturday in Oklahoma against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane, an upper-tier team in the conference. The Golden Hurricane (16-6, 8-2) also played Tuesday night and won on the road at Wichita State, 75-65.

“It’s not going to get any easier,” UTSA coach Karen Aston said on the team’s radio broadcast. “I thought that this whole time, that every game was going to be like this, and it’s going to boil down to … ‘How hungry are you?’ and, ‘How bad do you want to win? Does it mean that much to you?’

“I mean, everybody (in the conference) is fighting, just to get in the tournament. You know, maybe we’ve hit a lull. I don’t really know. We looked like maybe we’ve hit a little bit of a wall. We got to figure out how to re-energize ourselves.”

Aston acknowledged that she doesn’t really have an answer on how to get the team to boost its energy level.

“We just don’t look like we have enough gas in our tank right now,” she said.

Forward Molly Moffitt led six UAB players in double figures with 19 points. Smallwood added 15 and Journey Armstead 13. Eleecia Carter scored 12, while Monae’ Duffy and Munoz had 11 apiece.

For UTSA, point guard Ereauna Hardaway produced 17 points and five assists. Forward Cheyenne Rowe added 16, but after halftime, the Roadrunners’ scoring leader was hounded by a collapsing UAB defense and was held to five.

Idara Udo, in her third game back after sitting out six weeks with an injury, scored 12. The Roadrunners shot 41 percent from the field.

Records

UTSA 10-11, 5-5
UAB 9-13, 2-8

Coming up

UTSA at Tulsa, Saturday, 2 p.m.

First half

The Blazers shot 48.1 percent from the field and knocked down five 3-pointers en route to a 32-27 lead on the Roadrunners.

It was a disappointing showing for the Roadrunners, who entered the game in sixth place in the American against the Blazers, who were in last (13th).

Molly Moffitt and guard Eleecia Carter both scored nine points to lead the Blazers. Moffitt connected on four of nine from the field and Carter three of five, all from 3-point distance.

UTSA women to face a UAB team ‘feeling good about themselves’

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Fighting through the “dog days” of the American Conference schedule, the UTSA Roadrunners women are looking to find some consistency when they play on the road tonight against the last-place UAB Blazers.

The Roadrunners (10-10, 5-4) tip off against the Blazers (8-13, 1-8) at 6 p.m.

UTSA split two games at home last week, building a double-digit lead against North Texas and then holding on for a 66-64 victory and then playing on even terms for a half against first-place Rice before ultimately falling, 65-55.

“I thought last week was a good week for our team, obviously a good win against North Texas and then kind of equally disappointing against Rice,” UTSA coach Karen Aston said. “But we’re in the dog days now and we have to turn the page and get to the next game.”

Coach Randy Norton’s Blazers (8-13, 1-8) endured hard times to start their conference schedule with eight straight losses before playing well and winning 83-65 on the road last weekend at Wichita State.

Guard Cali Smallwood scored 25 points in the performance, knocking down seven of 12 shots from 3-point distance.

“Their record is not indicative of how they’ve played,” Aston said. “They had a new team and obviously had to find some chemistry and get used to conference play, so to say. But they had a big win on Saturday, and just to get that one over for them probably gave them a lot of confidence.

“I would think we’ll roll in there with them feeling pretty good about themselves.”

Records

UTSA 10-10, 5-4
UAB 8-13, 1-8

Coming up

UTSA at UAB, Tuesday, 6 p.m.
UTSA at Tulsa, Saturday, 2 p.m.

Focusing on ‘TNT,’ the Rice women beat UTSA, extending their winning streak to 14

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Rice Victoria Flores, Hailey Adams. Rice beat UTSA 65-55 in American Conference women's basketball on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Rice forward Hailey Adams (right) cheers on guard Victoria Flores. While Flores scored 33 points, San Antonio’s Adams supplied 15 rebounds, three assists and two steals. The redshirt junior from Clark High School also hit a clutch fourth-quarter jumper. – Photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Rice Owls women’s basketball coach Lindsey Edmonds stood in the foyer of the UTSA Convocation Center Saturday afternoon, smiling and taking selfies with friends.

A crowd of her program’s supporters lingered in the building where the Owls had just defeated the Roadrunners, 65-55. It was clearly a group of people basking in the glow of a 14-game winning streak, a 19-3 record overall and a 9-0 mark in the American Conference.

Damara Allen. Rice beat UTSA 65-55 in American Conference women's basketball on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Sophomore Damara Allen led the Roadrunners with 11 points on four of 14 shooting from the field. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Edmomds shrugged off a reporter’s question about how it felt to be riding such a streak and to be unbeaten in conference play at the halfway point of the schedule.

“Our logo for this year, our theme, is TNT,” Edmonds said. “Which is, today, not tomorrow. And I think we just want to take advantage of every day. Every opportunity that we have, we want to be the best versions of ourself.

“I’m not really concerned or worried or even thinking about records or streaks,” she added, “because I’m thinking about how we can be the best version of ourselves today. We were able to come up here and get a win on the road at a place that’s really, really hard to win.

“So, I’m proud of that.”

Rice’s Victoria Flores led her team offensively, scoring 33 points. She was efficient on every level, making eight of 10 shots from the field, four of six from 3-point range and 13 of 14 at the free-throw line.

Meanwhile, a determined defensive effort by the Owls held the Roadrunners to 29 percent shooting and to five points below their season average as a team. As the Roadrunners fell to a 10-10 record on the season and to 5-4 in conference, they were shut down on seven of 36 from the field in the second half.

At one point in a decisive third quarter, the Roadrunners misfired on 12 shots in a row. It’s arguable that the Owls were successful because they were able to expose weaknesses in an offense that sometimes seems too dependent on only a few reliable shooters.

“We have to help them,” UTSA coach Karen Aston said. “I’ve been saying that. If I had the answers, trust me, I would help them. But we’ve got to figure out how to help those players, and they have to sometimes be comfortable with moving the ball, because they’re not getting the looks they get on certain days.”

As the second half of the conference schedule looms, the Roadrunners are healthier than they were a few weeks ago, but they still have five scholarship players out.

“I know Karen Aston and I know she is an incredible coach,” Edmonds said. “I know that she is coaching them up. I think they’re a tough team. I think they have qualities instilled in them by Karen. Again, they’re going to win a lot of games.

“They’re tough … and they’re stingy on the defensive end. I think she’s still going to do a great job despite having the injuries.”

Guards Damara Allen and Ereauna Hardaway led the Roadrunners offensively, combining for 21 points. Allen finished with a team-high 11 on four of 14 shooting. Hardaway’s 10 points came on a three of nine effort.

Cheyenne Rowe. Rice beat UTSA 65-55 in American Conference women's basketball on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA scoring leader Cheyenne Rowe produced nine points on three of 11 shooting from the field. She also pulled down eight rebounds. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Forward Cheyenne Rowe, UTSA’s offensive leader, shot three of 11 from the field and finished with nine points and eight rebounds.

A late spark in the game came from freshman guard Adriana Robles, who scored nine off the bench. Robles was four for seven, the only UTSA player to shoot better than 50 percent in the game.

Idara Udo, in her second game back after sitting out more than six weeks with an injury, had a tough day. The 6-foot-1, low-post forward missed all seven shots from the field and scored two.

Records

Rice 19-3, 9-0
UTSA 10-10, 5-4

Coming up

UTSA at UAB, Tuesday, 6 p.m.

First half

In a battle of heavyweights within the American, both the Owls and the Roadrunners pushed the pace in the first half.

Rice took a 31-28 lead at intermission, with Flores scoring 14 points and senior center Shelby Hayes adding nine. The Owls had an advantage with a 12-4 lead in points scored off turnovers.

Notable

UTSA entered the season as the defending conference champions. Last year, the Roadrunners finished 26-5 and 17-1 in the American. The Owls had a hand in dashing their NCAA postseason dreams by beating them 62-58 in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament. After Saturday’s loss, Aston told reporters that she wasn’t thinking about last season.

Flores, a junior from Duncanville, was the talk of the game played in front of 1,172 fans. But Rice forward Hailey Adams also played a major role in the victory. The 6-foot-1 junior from Clark High School produced 15 rebounds, three assists and two steals. She also scored five points, including a big shot in the fourth quarter.

“Hailey Adams does Hailey Adams things, that no one else on our team can do,” Edmonds said. “She fills up the stat sheet in a way that’s really, really impressive. She didn’t make a ton of shots tonight, but she made one in the fourth quarter that was crucial.

“We really needed it in the worst way, and she stepped up and shot that shot with confidence.”

Rice Victoria Flores. Rice beat UTSA 65-55 in American Conference women's basketball on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Rice guard Victoria Flores sank eight of 10 shots from the field and finished with a career-high 33 points in a 65-55 win at the UTSA Convocation Center. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Memphis grinds out a 52-40 victory over the UTSA women

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Forward Amauri Williams produced 10 points and nine rebounds, guard Jordan Hunter hit two 3-point baskets late in the game, and the defense-minded Memphis Tigers held off the UTSA Roadrunners women, 52-40, Friday afternoon in Memphis.

Memphis locked down on the defensive end, holding UTSA to 29 percent shooting from the field, to snap a three-game losing streak.

UTSA also took a beating on the boards, 44-30, as the Roadrunners lost their second straight game for the first time since the first week of December.

“I think we’ve had some kids hit the wall a little bit,” UTSA coach Karen Aston told Neal Raphael on the team’s radio broadcast. “They just looked like they flat-lined a little bit with their effort and attention to detail.”

In the victory, Memphis (8-12, 2-5) received solid defensive play from its entire roster, notably guards Daejah Richmond and Hunter. Both pressured the ball on the perimeter and prevented UTSA (9-9, 4-3) from getting into a rhythm.

Hunter was also clutch, scoring six of her eight points in the fourth period, including two 3s that cut off UTSA’s momentum.

Richmond, meanwhile, finished with nine points and 11 rebounds. In addition, forward Tamya Smith pulled down 10 boards to frustrate the Roadrunners, who traditionally excel in that phase of the game.

“We’ve just got to get back to working hard again,” Aston said. “This didn’t look like a very hungry team. But again, you got to make shots. I mean, they only scored 52 points. It’s not like they blew us out of the water.

“We just can’t get on the boards right now. We’re getting killed on the boards. We’re getting killed in the paint, and they’re covering up … the people who have been the scorers for us. We’ve got to have other answers, and we just haven’t found that right now.”

Guard Ereauna Hardaway, one of UTSA’s primary scoring threats, produced 15 points, seven assists and five rebounds. The team’s leading scorer, Cheyenne Rowe, contributed eight points and nine rebounds.

But it was a battle for both of them as Hardaway hit four of 13 from the field and Rowe four of 14.

A few other issues may have played a role in the loss. First, Rowe was playing a few days after she sat out Tuesday night in San Antonio with an illness. Second, UTSA’s travel schedule was altered a few days ago.

Because of inclement weather across the south, officials moved the game from Saturday to Friday, meaning that the short-handed Roadrunners had one less day to recover from Tuesday’s 65-58 loss to East Carolina.

Aston credited the Tigers’ effort for what happened.

“They didn’t make it easy and nobody else does, either,” the coach said. “It’s just part of the game. If we wanted to be easy, then we’re in the wrong league.”

Records

UTSA 9-9, 4-3
Memphis 8-12, 2-5

Coming up

North Texas at UTSA, Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.

Notable

Even though Rowe returned to the lineup, the Roadrunners continue to play without six of their scholarship players. Idara Udo sat out her eighth straight game with a lower leg injury.

First half

Led on the perimeter by guards Richmond and Hunter, the Tigers played superior defense en route to a 26-14 halftime lead.

Memphis trapped UTSA guards and played passing lanes and, in the process, held the Roadrunners to 22 percent shooting from the field. The Tigers also forced the Roadrunners into 11 turnovers.

Playing at home in the Elma Roane Fieldhouse, the Tigers jumped on the Roadrunners early, forcing the visitors into one for eight shooting to start the game.

Memphis used the momentum to build a 13-5 lead at the quarter. In the second period, the Tigers continued to use pressure to their advantage.

Forcing a turnover and five straight misses, they expanded the lead to 20-7. The Roadrunners rallied, pulling to within 22-14 on a Mia Hammonds left-handed layup.

But in the last two minutes, Memphis held UTSA scoreless.

Third quarter

Guard Chae Harris knocked down a three at the end of the quarter as the Tigers assumed a 37-26 lead. UTSA guard Adriana Robles scored five points in the period.

Player report indicates UTSA’s Rowe will be available today

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The UTSA women apparently will have starting forward Cheyenne Rowe available for today’s American Conference road game against the Memphis Tigers.

Rowe’s name is not on the latest player availability report, indicating that the team’s leading scorer and rebounder will be ready when the Roadrunners tip off against Memphis at 4 p.m. at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse.

Rowe, suffering from an illness, sat out her first game of the season Tuesday night at home in a 65-58 loss to the East Carolina Lady Pirates.

The 6-foot-2 Canada native leads the team in scoring (12.9 points) and rebounds (8.8) for the season. In conference, she’s been more productive, averaging 14 and 12.8, respectively, including three games with double figures in rebounding.

Rowe is also one of the team’s top shot makers, hitting 46.1 percent for the season.

UTSA (9-8, 4-2) and Memphis (7-12, 1-5) were originally scheduled to meet on Saturday. But the game was moved up a day out of weather-related concerns in Tennessee.

Records

UTSA 9-8, 4-2
Memphis 7-12, 1-5

Coming up

UTSA at Memphis, Friday, 4 p.m.
North Texas at UTSA, Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.

Notable

Starting forward Idara Udo is scheduled to sit out her eighth straight game with a lower leg injury. Udo will be out for today’s game along with Maya Linton, Ny Gony, Saher Alizada, Taylor Ross and Sema Udo. Gony, Ross and Sema Udo are out for the season.

Cheyenne Rowe’s availability in question for East Carolina

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Update: UTSA forward Cheyenne Rowe is listed as questionable to play against East Carolina, according to the player availability report. A spokesman said Rowe is ill. She is the team’s leading scorer and rebounder, averaging 12.9 points and 8.8 rebounds. Rowe has started and played all 16 games for the Roadrunners.

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

In the 2022-23 season, the East Carolina Lady Pirates were picked for the cellar in the American Conference women’s basketball race, and coach Kim McNeill proceeded to lead them to the NCAA tournament.

Last fall, coaches in the American pegged them in a preseason poll for a seventh-place finish.

Don’t look now, but the Lady Pirates are tied for second and challenging for the lead coming into a showdown Tuesday night in the Convocation Center against the defending conference champion UTSA Roadrunners.

Moreover, they’re incoming with one of the hottest players in the American, point guard Kennedy Fauntleroy. An Arizona State transfer, Fauntleroy is averaging 23 points and 7.7 assists in her last three games.

“They’re the leading scoring team in the conference,” UTSA coach Karen Aston said on a media zoom conference Monday. “So, start right there. They have a plethora of people that can score the basketball (and) they have a tremendous point guard (in Fauntleroy).”

Aston said the Lady Pirates are always well prepared under McNeill and also may have some intangibles working for them this season.

“I can’t speak for her by any means,” Aston said, “but they look like they have really good chemistry, and they look like they’re having fun playing the game. So, you have to start with that. We’re going to have to be really, really good on our home court.

“We’re going to have to have a sense of urgency with how we play. But, it’s not going to be easy. They turn you over and they score the ball really well. They’re one of the better teams in the conference regardless of what they were chosen.”

East Carolina averages an American-best 73.7 points and shoots 40 percent from the field. The Pirates also force 20 turnovers per game and register a league-best plus 5.68 turnover margin.

UTSA is expected to counter with the conference’s best defense, both in points and field goal percentage allowed (57.9 points and 36.8 percent).

Records

East Carolina 13-6, 5-1
UTSA 9-7, 4-1

Coming up

East Carolina at UTSA, Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.
UTSA at Memphis, Saturday, 2 p.m.

Notable

The Rice Owls lead the American women’s basketball race with a 5-0 record, followed by East Carolina and South Florida at 5-1. Tulsa and UTSA are next at 4-1.

The Lady Pirates, playing at home last week, played well in defeating Tulsa 79-48 and Temple 81-65. In the Temple game, East Carolina led by two going into the fourth quarter when the 5-foot-7 Fauntleroy exploded for 13 of her 27 points.

The native of Upper Marlboro, Md., also finished with eight assists, three steals and two blocks. Fauntleroy, who averages 13.8 a game, has exploded 21, 21 and 27 points in her last three games, respectively.

The Roadrunners traveled to play two in Florida last week. They were humbled in Tampa by the South Florida Bulls, 70-53, after trailing by 25 at halftime. In response, they routed the Florida Atlantic Owls, 79-42.

Aston said the development of sophomore forward Emilia Dannebauer has been “incredible” to watch.

After playing only 22 minutes in eight games last year, she’s already played 276 minutes in all 16 games thus far, averaging 3.6 points and 2.8 rebounds. She scored a season-high 13 points last week at South Florida.

Aston said even though Dannebauer didn’t play much last season, the 6-foot-4 native of Germany learned about the pace and physicality of the game and what she needed to do to prepare herself.

She overcame an injury last summer, got herself ready to play in the fall and then stepped in to a starter’s role when Idara Udo was hurt after 10 games.

“It’s been fun to watch her develop and gain confidence,” Aston said.