| Junior Joey Shank sank a UTSA-record eight 3-pointers on Saturday. |
SAN ANTONIO ? Junior Joey Shank drained a school record-tying eight 3-pointers and senior Keith Spencer and freshman Devin Gibson both posted double-doubles, as UTSA edged Northwestern State, 81-78, in an overtime thriller on Saturday afternoon at the Convocation Center.
Shank was 8-of-14 from downtown in scoring a season-high 26 points, as the Roadrunners attempted a school-record 37 treys in moving to 8-8 overall and 2-1 in Southland Conference play. Spencer registered 10 points and a career-high 15 rebounds in turning in his fourth double-double of the year and 10th of his UTSA career. Gibson poured in 17 points on the strength of an 8-of-11 performance at the free throw line, and dished out 10 assists for his second consecutive double-double and third of the year.
Trey Gilder scored 23 points to lead three Demons in double figures, while C.J. Clark and Dominic Knight added 11 and 10, respectively. Northwestern State entered the game on top of the SLC East Division but fell to 3-1 in league play and 7-11 overall.
UTSA led by as many as 19 points in the first half, but found itself trailing 60-52 with 8:20 to play. Shank then heated up from behind the arc with a trio of 3-pointers over the next three minutes to pull the Roadrunners to within three at 64-61.
Shank drained two more long balls to keep UTSA close and Gibson came up with a steal, was fouled on the fast break and converted two free throws to make it 71-70 with 1:13 left. Gibson came up with another steal with 30 second remaining and went coast-to-coast for an acrobatic layup and was fouled, sending the Convo into a frenzy. Gibson converted the plus-one freebie to give the Roadrunners a 73-71 advantage with 26 seconds on the clock.
Northwestern State would not quit as Gilder was fouled in the lane and made both free throws to knot the score at 73. UTSA had one last possession, but a turnover gave the ball to the Demons with 2.6 seconds left. A half-court heave by Michael McConathy was off the mark, sending the game to overtime.
It took half of the extra period for either team to score as a Gilder layup put the Demons out front, 75-73. Shank quickly answered with his record-tying trey to put the Roadrunners back on top by one. A Colby Bargeman layup gave the lead right back to Northwestern State and Gilder converted 1-of-2 from the line to put the Demons up 78-76 with 27 seconds left.
Senior Melvin Smith drained a 3-pointer from the right wing on the next possession to put UTSA up by one at 79-78 with 15 seconds remaining. Northwestern State then was whistled for a charge against senior Isaiah Allen. The Demons were forced to foul, sending Smith back to the line where he made both to put the Roadrunners up by three. McConathy’s last-second 3-pointer was off the back of the rim, giving UTSA its second straight win.
UTSA was red hot to start the game, blitzing out to a 19-5 lead through the first 7:28 behind four treys, including two from freshman JohnMark Ludwick, who finished with nine points on three 3-pointers. The lead grew to 19 after a pair of Allen free throws at the 10:22 mark made it 26-7.
Northwestern State closed the half on a 14-3 run to make it 45-39 at the break.
The 45 points were the most UTSA has scored in the first half this season and the second-most in either half behind the 53 posted in the second half against Paul Quinn.
The Roadrunners forced 26 Northwestern State turnovers, the ninth opponent to commit at least 20 this season. The Demons overcame a slow start offensively and shot 52 percent from the field and 76.9 percent from the free throw line, while UTSA made 41.9 percent from the floor, including 15-of-37 (40.5%) from behind the 3-point line, in the winning cause.
The Roadrunners hit the road to face UT Arlington at 7 p.m., on Wednesday, Jan. 23.