RELATED LINKSBox scoreUpdated 2011-12 season statisticsBox score (.pdf)Updated 2011-12 season statistics (.pdf)
TROY, Ala. — Junior Melvin Johnson III posted his second consecutive 20-point game and UTSA used a strong second half to topple Troy, 76-70, on Thursday night at Sartain Hall.
Johnson III poured in a game-high 25 points on the strength of a career-high-tying six 3-pointers to help the Roadrunners improve to 6-5 on the season and 15-3 all-time against schools from the state of Alabama, including 2-0 this season.
UTSA, which now is 4-1 following a loss this year, overcame a six-point halftime deficit by outscoring Troy (5-6), 49-37, in the second half in winning for the 10th time in the last 15 road contests. The Roadrunners also ran their record to 5-4 away from home this season and also was victorious for the third time in four all-time meetings against the Trojans.
Johnson III was 9-of-12 from the floor overall, including 6-of-7 from downtown, while senior Alex Vouyoukas posted a career-best 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting, as UTSA shot 52 percent (26-of-50) for the game, including 8-of-15 from beyond the arc. The Roadrunners also out-rebounded the Trojans, 37-27, as sophomore Jeromie Hill matched his career high with a game-best 13, and outscored Troy in the paint, 28-4.
Will Weathers and Alan Jones led the Trojans with 23 and 21 points, respectively. Jones knocked down seven 3-pointers and Weathers added five, as Troy made 16 from long range on a UTSA opponent-record 41 attempts (39 percent).
After a baseline jumper by Hill gave UTSA a 68-62 cushion with 3:19 remaining, Jones connected from downtown and Steven Cunningham took advantage of a Roadrunners turnover by slamming one home to pull the Trojans to within one with 1:44 left.
Another UTSA miscue gave the ball back to Troy and Jones had a wide-open look from downtown, but he misfired and the ball went out of bounds to the Roadrunners. However, Jones stole the inbounds pass to get the ball right back. Justin Wright missed a trey from the top of the key and Vouyoukas secured the rebound with 22 ticks left.
Following a UTSA timeout, Troy was called for an intentional foul, sending senior Stephen Franklin to the line, where he converted both. Hill then found junior Kannon Burrage, who scored nine points, all alone underneath the basket for an easy layup for a 72-67 advantage.
Jones gave Troy new life by draining a long three with 12.7 seconds remaining. Junior Michael Hale III immediately was fouled and made both freebies with 10.2 on the clock. Weathers missed a layup and Hill cleaned the glass, was fouled and then calmly made both free throws to provide the final six-point margin.
Troy, which only had eight turnovers, shot 39 percent for the game, as it did from long range, and made just 8-of-13 from the free-throw line.
Trailing by six at the break, UTSA used an 18-9 run over the first 5:16 of the second half to reclaim the lead. Johnson III drained his first three attempts from long distance to match his career high set last season against Texas State and give the Roadrunners a 45-42 edge.
Franklin drove to the hole to put UTSA up, 59-53, with just over seven minutes remaining. Senior Sei Paye then answered a Weathers jumper with a 3-pointer from the top of the key to give the Roadrunners a seven-point advantage.
Vouyoukas knocked down a jumper from the left elbow and Paye converted a layup off a steal at the 4:57 mark to push the lead to 66-57, UTSA’s largest of the contest.
Weathers quickly responded with his fifth three of the game to cut the deficit to six. He made a pair of free throws to get Troy to within 66-62 with 3:44 remaining.
Johnson III scored UTSA’ first 11 points on the strength of three 3-pointers and a jumper from the free-throw line, but Troy drained six of its first 11 attempts from beyond the arc in building a 19-13 lead midway through the first half.
Troy eventually knocked down nine threes — four from Jones — in the half on 22 attempts, which was enough to overcome a 2-of-10 performance from inside the line and it took a 33-27 lead into the locker room.
Johnson III tallied 14 of his points in the first half on 5-of-7 shooting, including a perfect 3-for-3 from downtown, while Vouyoukas had eight on 4-of-6 shooting.
The Roadrunners will open a three-game home stand against UC Riverside (4-7) at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 28.