Jan. 14, 2006
Contact: Kyle Stephens (210) 458-4907
Rodgers’ career afternoon leads UTSA past Louisiana-Monroe, 69-56
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SAN ANTONIO – Sophomore Roderick Rodgers (right) posted his first double-double with career highs of 17 points and 12 rebounds to lead the UTSA men’s basketball team to a 69-56 victory over Louisiana-Monroe on Saturday afternoon at the Convocation Center.
With the win, the Roadrunners improve to 6-8 overall and 1-2 in the Southland Conference. The Indians fall to 5-10 and 1-2.
Rodgers led a strong second-half performance as UTSA out-scored ULM, 39-29, after the break en route to the 13-point win. Rodgers posted 13 points and pulled down six boards in the half in UTSA’s first home game since Dec. 11.
Senior Andre Owens added 14 points, while freshmen Aldric Reynolds and Nkem Ojougboh pitched in 10 apiece.
Tony Hooper led the Indians, who now are 1-4 against the Roadrunners over the past five meetings, with 15 points.
Owens keyed UTSA to a 15-10 lead with nine early points through the first seven minutes. The Roadrunners pushed the lead to seven at 22-15 on a Bernard 3-pointer at the 8:27 mark. ULM cut the deficit to two at 22-20 on a Hooper trey, but UTSA maintained the advantage for the rest of the half.
The 30-27 halftime lead was helped by UTSA limiting ULM to 27.5 percent shooting from the field. The Roadrunners hit 10-of-25 shots (40 percent) and were 8-of-9 from the free throw line in the half.
A 13-7 run to start the second half extended the UTSA lead to nine at 43-34. Ojougboh converted a 3-point play with 12:06 remaining to give the Roadrunners their largest lead of the game at 14, 49-35.
Hooper drained a long 3-pointer at the 6:15 mark to bring the Indians back and RoShon Jacobs nailed a pair of free throws to cut the deficit to 55-48 with 5:31 left. Drew Meyerchick converted a rare 4-point play with 3:38 remaining to cut it to 58-52, but Owens quickly answered, draining a 3-pointer from the left wing to put UTSA back up by nine 61-52.
An 8-4 run from there, highlighted by a steal and thunderous dunk from freshman Eric Young (above), sealed the deal for UTSA.
The Roadrunners stay home to host Sam Houston State on Thursday, Jan. 19. Tip is set for 7 p.m. at the Convocation Center.