UTSA hosts Reggie Theus and Bethune-Cookman today

Former NBA all star Reggie Theus will lead the Bethune-Cookman University Wildcats into the UTSA Convocation today for a 3 p.m. tipoff against the Roadrunners.

The Wildcats (4-6) are a work in progress under Theus, a 13-year NBA veteran and 2-time all star, who is in his second season at the Daytona Beach, Fla.-based NCAA Division I program in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

Formerly a head coach at New Mexico State and Cal State-Northridge, Theus returned to the sidelines in 2021 to lead the Wildcats, a program that has never reached the NCAA Division I tournament since it elevated to D-I status in 1980.

After finishing last year at 9-21, including a 7-11 record in the SWAC, the Wildcats opened with three victories in their first six games this season, before losing three of their last four.

They’re on a road trip which has seen them fall 88-48 at North Florida and 77-65 in San Antonio at Incarnate Word.

UTSA is also coached by a former NBA player in Steve Henson. In his seventh season with the Roadrunners, Henson’s team is looking to gain traction today against Bethune-Cook before opening Conference USA competition Thursday at home against North Texas.

The Roadrunners (5-5) are 5-2 at home this season. They’re coming off a road trip in which they dropped games to a pair of top 40 programs 50 programs.

They lost 94-76 at New Mexico and 91-70 to the Utah Utes of the Pac-12 conference.

Records

UTSA 5-5
Bethune-Cookman 4-6

Coming up

North Texas at UTSA, Thursday, 7 p.m. (a Conference USA opener for the Roadrunners)

Notable

Against Division I competition, both Bethune-Cookman and UTSA are under .500, with the Wildcats 2-6 and the Roadrunners 3-5. UTSA is ranked 296th out of 363 Division I programs in the NCAA’s NET rankings. Bethune-Cookman is ranked 337th.

A positive sign for UTSA is the recent play of point guard Japhet Medor, who tweaked an ankle on Nov. 27 at home against Dartmouth. While he appeared limited physically in playing the next night in a victory over Incarnate Word, he scored 11 points at New Mexico and added 23 points, six rebounds, five assists and five steals at Utah.