| Feb. 12, 2004
Contact: Rick Nixon (210) 458-4551 UTSA retires Devin Brown's jersey and scores 78-62 win over Louisiana-Monroe Box Score
SAN ANTONIO - LeRoy Hurd, the Southland Conference's leading scorer, had his ninth double-double of the season with 28 points and 11 rebounds as the UTSA Roadrunners scored their second straight home win, a 78-62 victory over the Louisiana-Monroe Indians.
The win capped a night that was started by UTSA retiring the jersey of former standout Devin Brown. Brown, UTSA's all-time leading scorer with 1,922 points, had his No. 23 jersey retired to the Convocation Center rafters in a touching pregame ceremony. It was the first jersey ever retired by the UTSA basketball program.
"It's something as a player that you never think about, getting your number retired," Brown said after an emotional pregame tribute had left the current San Antonio Spurs star in tears. "It ranks up there in my life. Whenever you get your number retired by the university, it is a big deal. When it happens, you are glad it happens. It's something you take and cherish for the rest of your life and then you move on. I wasn't aware that they were going to do all of this for me. It's a great honor for me."
Brown, who played for the Roadrunners from 1998 to 2002, is also the all-time leading scorer in San Antonio high school history while playing for West Campus High School.
When the actual game started following the ceremony, UTSA continued its winning ways of late. The Roadrunners improved to 11-12 overall and 6-4 in conference play with the win, placing three in double figures as Justin Harbert added 12, and John Millsap, 10.
Louisiana-Monroe, which fell to 10-15 and 6-5, was led by John Andrews with 17 points. The Indians connected on only 22 of 67 shots (32.8 percent) from the floor.
Trailing early by a 30-21 count, UTSA closed the first half on a 15-2 run and led 36-32 at halftime behind Hurd's 12 points, while Harbert had 10.
UTSA never trailed in the second half, opening up a 60-44 lead with 8:41 remaining on a free throw by Sammie Cole.
After Louisiana-Monroe closed the gap to 64-57 on a 3-point field goal by Larry Parker with 5:07 left, UTSA answered with an 8-0 run to lead 72-57 on two Anthony Fuqua free throws with 3:22 remaining. The Indians could get no closer than 13 points the rest of the way.
UTSA connected on 29 of 57 shots (50.9%) from the field and had 16 assists, led by Rapheal Posey with five.
"I was concerned with the slow start after the ceremony to start the game," said UTSA coach Tim Carter. "After that we played with a lot of energy and that helped turn the game around. I think our team chemistry right now is at a high, and we know Saturday's game at Sam Houston will be a big game for us."
With the win, UTSA is only one game out of first place in the conference standings.
The Roadrunners will return to action on Saturday, Feb. 14 with a 7 p.m. game at Sam Houston State. The game with the Bearkats can be heard on the Roadrunner Radio Network (KSJL Radio 92.5 FM / 810 AM and www.goUTSA.com) beginning at 6:30 p.m. |
