By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay
In long-distance races in track and field, an official rings a bell with one lap to go as runners churn for the finish.
The leader of the pack has an advantage, but everyone with a competitive heart believes they can still win.
Jordyn Jenkins leads the AAC in scoring at 18.5 points per game. She also ranks fourth in field goal percentage at 47.2. – File photo by Joe Alexander
Well, the bell is ringing, so to speak, for the UTSA women’s basketball team and everyone chasing them in the race for the American Athletic Conference regular-season title.
The first-place Roadrunners (22-3 overall, 13-1 AAC) lead in the standings by one game over the South Florida Bulls and by two over the North Texas Mean Green with four to play.
Of UTSA’s last remaining games, three are on the road, including one this afternoon in Houston against the Rice Owls.
Even though a regular-season title doesn’t guarantee a coveted NCAA berth, UTSA forward Idara Udo says it’s “really important” for the Roadrunners to win it.
“That was one of our goals for the season,” she said. “So I think that with four games left, it’s kind of like the final stretch, like, the last lap in the race.”
Both South Florida (19-8, 12-2) and North Texas (19-7, 11-3) have two at home and two on the road remaining.
South Florida has won eight in a row leading into today’s home game against Memphis, while North Texas has won three straight going into a road test today at East Carolina.
UTSA coach Karen Aston was asked during her weekly session with the media on Monday how she liked her team’s chances to finish first.
Hailey Adams, a Rice sophomore from San Antonio Clark High School wearing No. 22, averages 7.0 points and 7.2 rebounds for the Owls. – File photo by Joe Alexander
“Well, we control our own destiny at this point, as far as the fact that we are one game up right now,” Aston said. “But there’s just a lot of basketball to play. Take the road games that are never easy. So we just have to take the standard approach that we’ve made since Day 1, which is one game at a time.
“Rice is the next opponent and there’s really not much to worry about other than Rice right now.”
The Roadrunners had a tough time with the Owls before beating them 67-58 in San Antonio on Jan. 8. Rice led by nine in the second quarter and by six with 7:54 remaining, only to see UTSA explode past them in the final minutes.
Records
UTSA 22-3, 13-1
Rice 13-13, 6-8
Coming up
UTSA at Rice, Saturday, 4 p.m.
UTSA at Tulane, Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.
FAU at UTSA, Saturday, March 1, noon
UTSA at East Carolina, Tuesday, March 4, 5 p.m.