Dec. 3, 2005
Contact: Rick Nixon (210) 458-4551
Murray State goes overtime to defeat UTSA, 89-79
Box Score
SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Senior Andre Owens (Irving, Texas) posted his first
double-double of the season with 23 points and 14 rebounds, but Murray State held on for an 89-79 overtime victory over the UTSA men’s basketball team Saturday afternoon at the Convocation Center.
UTSA, which lost its third straight game, fell to 2-3 on the season. The Roadrunners placed three in double figures as Nkem Ojougboh (Scottsdale, Ariz.) scored a career-high 14 points, while Roderick Rodgers (Dallas, Texas) added 12. UTSA missed numerous opportunities at the free throw line where the Roadrunners shot only 20 of 38.
Murray State, which improved to 2-2, was led by Justin Orr with 21 points, while Issian Redding added 19, and Darnell Hopkins, 12.
“The effort was there, but you aren’t going to beat an NCAA Tournament team like Murray State missing 18 free throws,” said UTSA coach Tim Carter. “We played hard and with focus and had a number of players step up today. We have to adjust a few things and get ready to play again next week.”
Murray State took its first lead of the contest, 39-37, at the 18:22 mark and extended it to seven at 44-37 with only three minutes off the clock in the second half. The Roadrunners only had seven first-half turnovers but committed five during the Racers’ run.
The Racers continued to build on that lead with back-to-back 3-pointers that pushed the advantage to 50-37 with 14:30 left.
UTSA fought back to within five at 59-54 with 7:47 remaining on a lay-up by sophomore Abe Donlon (Tulsa, Okla.) and a 3-pointer from the top of the key from junior Chris Thompson (Austin, Texas).
A reverse lay-up from Donlon cut the deficit to four at 61-57 with 6:04 left. Owens then answered an Orr jumper with a 3-pointer from the right wing and a fast break lay-up to pull the Roadrunners to within one, 65-64. Owens then found Rodgers on another fast break lay-up to give UTSA its first lead since early in the half, 66-65.
Redding, who had 17 second half points, gave Murray the lead, 71-70 on a three from the right side and nailed a jumper from the free throw line just before the shot clock buzzer to give the Racers a 73-70 lead with 6.1 seconds left.
Freshman Eric Young (Houston, Texas) then took the inbounds pass, dribbled the length of the floor and pulled up for the game-tying 3-pointer at the buzzer, sending the game to overtime.
The two teams traded baskets to start the extra frame, but Murray State took an 80-75 lead on two free throws by Redding with 3:40 remaining.
Ojougboh ended a tough 0-for-6 stretch for the Roadrunners at the charity stripe with a pair of free throws to pull UTSA back within three, 80-77. Trey Pearson answered with a three from the left corner and the Racers upped their advantage to 84-77 on a Hopkins free throw with 1:54 remaining. They would hold on from there for the 10-point victory.
UTSA jumped out to a 16-9 lead through the first 7:30 behind seven early points from Owens. The Racers cut the deficit to three at 16-12, but the Roadrunners answered, taking a 21-12 lead at the 11:25 mark on a steal and a fast break dunk by Young and a lay-up by Rodgers.
The lead grew to 12 points at 30-18 on a 3-pointer from the right wing by Kyile Byrd (Garland, Texas) and a lay-up from Owens with 5:40 remaining in the half. Murray State would claw back to within four at 30-26 on a quick 8-0 run capped by a 3-pointer from the left wing by Darnell Hopkins. Byrd quickly answered with his second three of the half and Owens followed with a running jumper for his 15th point of the half to push the lead to 35-26 with 2:46 left.
The Racers shut out the Roadrunners on the defensive end for the rest of the frame and pulled to within two, 35-33, on a 3-pointer by Justin Orr and a pair of lay-ups by Shawn Witherspoon.
UTSA out-rebounded the Racers 50-41 and held Murray State to 9 of 33 shooting behind the 3-point line.
UTSA continues its homestand on Tuesday, Dec. 6, against Texas-Pan American. Tip is set for 7 p.m. at the Convocation Center.