| |
| Freshman Devin Gibson scored a season-high 26 points on Wednesday. |
SAN ANTONIO ? Freshman Devin Gibson led four Roadrunners in double figures with a season-high 26 points and UTSA extended its winning streak to three games with an 80-72 victory over UT Arlington on Wednesday night at the Convocation Center.
Gibson’s 26 bettered his previous season-best of 23 posted against Paul Quinn on Nov. 26 and he added nine rebounds, six assists and two steals in playing all 40 minutes for the third straight game.
Senior Melvin Smith added 16 points on the strength of a perfect 8-for-8 night at the free throw line, while freshman JohnMark Ludwick and senior Keith Spencer pitched in 12 and 10, respectively. The last time UTSA, which improved to 11-13 overall and 5-6 in Southland Conference play, had four players in double figures was on Jan. 17 in the 81-77 win over Central Arkansas.
Ro’ger Guignard poured in 23 points on the strength of seven 3-pointers to lead the Mavericks (16-9, 5-7 SLC), while Jermaine Griffin posted 18. Tommy Moffitt matched Gibson with a game-high nine boards.
The Roadrunners forced 17 turnovers ? 11 of those steals ? and held UTA, which entered the game leading the league in field goal percentage (47.7%), to just 40.3 percent (27-67). Meanwhile, UTSA shot 49.1 percent (26-53) and were 8-of-19 from behind the 3-point line and 20-of-28 at the charity stripe.
Gibson scored 10 of UTSA’s first 15 points to help push the Roadrunners out to a six-point lead through the first 8:21. The Mavs fought back to within 15-12 on a lay-up from Larry Posey, but UTSA answered with a 14-6 run over the next five minutes, capped by a trey from senior Isaiah Allen.
Smith caught fire late in the half, scoring six of his 10 first-half points to help UTSA take a 40-27 advantage into the locker room.
Turnovers were key for the Roadrunners in the first, as they scored 15 points off 11 Maverick miscues. UTSA shot 55.6 percent (15-27) in the half and were led by Gibson’s 15, a season high for a half.
Ludwick drained three consecutive treys to help UTSA pull back in front by 12 after UTA had made it 54-48 on an Anthony Vereen lay-in. A Smith steal and layup pushed the lead to 64-48 with 8:20 to play, capping a 10-0 run.
The Mavs climbed back to within 75-69 on a Guignard 3-pointer with 42 seconds to play, but Smith converted 4-of-4 from the line down the stretch to help UTSA hold on for the 80-72 win.
UTSA now has won five of the past seven meetings with UTA and matched its season-long winning streak, as the Roadrunners defeated Navy, Paul Quinn and UMKC in November.
The Roadrunners travel to San Marcos on Saturday to face Texas State in a 7 p.m. contest at Strahan Coliseum.