By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

UTSA coach Karen Aston has always had a soft spot for smooth-operating point guards with a penchant for scoring the basketball.

She recruited Sidney Love out of Steele High School in 2022 to fill that role.

Aston did it again last season, moving Love off the ball and bringing in transfer Nina De Leon Negron from the University of the Incarnate Word to run the show.

Led by star forward Jordyn Jenkins, the Roadrunners surged behind a De Leon Negron and Love-fueled backcourt to an American Conference regular-season championship.

This season, with Tulane coming in to the UTSA Convocation Center on Tuesday at 1 p.m. for the conference opener, all three of the team’s former stars have moved on.

But that’s not to say that the UTSA point guard position isn’t in good hands. It is, apparently, with North Texas transfer Ereauna Hardaway taking charge.

“Her role, for sure, as the point guard, is to get our team organized at all times,” Aston said. “And I think she’s doing a great job of that.”

Though Hardaway is averaging 9.3 points per game, she has picked it up recently, scoring at a 14.0 clip over the last four.

“She’s a scoring point guard,” Aston said. “There’s no question about that. We knew that, and, I love point guards that can score. So I think that she’s just finding her footing, for lack of a better word.”

After a shaky start following a preseason injury, Hardaway has elevated in all phases of the game, running the point, rebounding and, yes, shooting the ball.

Against Baylor, Prairie View, Texas A&M-Kingsville and Columbia, Hardaway has knocked down a combined 22 of 46 from the field and eight of 13 from behind the arc.

But she’s not just gunning shots, as evidenced by her 6.7 assists average over the same stretch, and also 5.0 rebounds.

Speaking with the media on Dec. 15, Hardaway cited a better mental attitude as a reason for her increased production.

“I’ve been hearing the same thing from my coaches, my parents, everybody tells me the same thing,” she said. “So, I’d say change of mindset. Also, coach getting on me at practice after the Baylor game. I’m hearing that she believes in me and everything.”

Ever since Aston started talking to Hardaway last spring, she knew UTSA would be fortunate if she were to join the team. It just took time.

Now she’s in the flow, doing what she does best.

“It took her awhile to get comfortable in the system and with her teammates,” the coach said. “But I think she’s in a good place.

“We definitely need her to hunt shots, so to say, but make good decisions, which I think she’s doing right now.”

Records

Tulane (5-7)
UTSA (5-6)

Coming up

Tulane at UTSA, Tuesday, 1 p.m.
(American Conference opener for both teams)
UTSA at Temple, Saturday, 1:30 p.m.

Back from the break

Preparing to open defense of their championship, the Roadrunners haven’t played since Dec. 20 when they dropped a 70-65 decision in New York against Columbia.

“I think it was good for our players to get a little Christmas break and go home, get a little love and home cooking, probably, and come back with a refreshment, so to say,” Aston said. “I know that, it’s a quick turnaround, really.

“I mean, it wasn’t a long break, but it was enough for them to catch their breath, and it was much needed,” she added. “Looking forward to conference play. It’s something that you work towards — starting in the summer time. So, we’re anxious to get started.”

Notable

The Roadrunners (5-6) and the Green Wave (5-7) have a few things in common. First, both have played difficult non conference schedules. In addition, both have yet to hit their stride as a team.

UTSA has already lost one more game than it did all of last season in a 26-5 campaign. Tulane, under second-year coach Ashley Langford, has dropped six of its last nine.

Finally, UTSA and Tulane both can boast of a couple of talented players from the San Antonio area on their respective rosters.

The Roadrunners have guard/forward Mia Hammonds (from Steele) and forward Taylor Ross (Brennan), while the Wave will counter with Amira Mabry (Judson) and Jordyn Weaver (Wagner).

Ross is out for the season with an injury.

Both the UTSA women and men’s teams have personnel issues leading into conference. Aston said starting forward Idara Udo is questionable for the Tulane game. Udo did not play at Columbia. She made the trip but was in a walking boot.

UTSA coach Austin Claunch said it’s uncertain whether UTSA men’s team guard Vasean Allette will make the trip to Florida Atlantic for the conference opener Wednesday against the Owls (8-5).

Allette has yet to play for the Roadrunners (4-8).

Additionally, Claunch said guard Pierce Spencer is out for the season with a shoulder injury. He added that 7-foot center Stanley Borden, nursing a hand injury, is likely two weeks away from returning to practice.

Both the UTSA men and women are scheduled to play road games at Temple, in Philadelphia, on Saturday.