| Sophomore Devin Gibson scored a game-high 22 points on Thursday night. |
SAN ANTONIO ? Sophomore Devin Gibson led four players in double figures with 22 points and UTSA outscored Mary Hardin-Baylor by 15 in the second half en route to a 78-64 victory in the only exhibition game of the season on Thursday night in front of 1,458 fans at the Convocation Center.
The Roadrunners improved to 5-0 in exhibition contests under third-year head coach Brooks Thompson. The Crusaders fell to 0-2 all-time against UTSA in exhibition games.
Gibson was 6-of-10 from the floor, including 4-of-6 from behind the 3-point line and 6-of-8 from the free throw line, in leading all players in scoring. The Houston native added a game-high six steals and four rebounds. Juniors Omar Johnson and Morris Smith IV added 12 points apiece, while senior Travis Gabbidon tacked on 11. Junior Josh Bonney pulled down a team-best nine rebounds, while Johnson dished out a game-high six assists.
Even though the statistics do not count toward the season total, the 20 steals UTSA came up with was four more than last year’s season-high of 16 posted against Navy. The Roadrunners forced 32 Crusaders turnovers and the two teams combined for 59 fouls fouls and 78 free throw attempts.
The Roadrunners trailed, 33-32, at the half, but opened the second frame with an 11-2 run behind five points from Gibson. UMHB answered with six straight points, five from Tilmon Gaddy, to pull within 43-41 with 14:28 to play, but that is as close as the Crusaders would get.
Johnson put up five unanswered points over the next two minutes to kick-start a 14-8 run that helped the Roadrunners open up a 57-49 advantage with just under 10 minutes remaining. The lead grew to as many as 15 in the final minutes, as UTSA ran away with the 14-point victory.
Despite shooting just 30.3 percent from the floor, including 4-of-17 from behind the arc, UTSA only trailed by one at the break. Neither team led by more than six points in the half, as the Roadrunners fought back from a 21-15 UMHB lead at the 5:30 mark 7-1 run capped by a pair of free throws from junior Chris Allen.
Gaddy led the Crusaders with 14 points, while David Ray added 10 points and 10 rebounds.
The Roadrunners open the regular season at Oklahoma State next Friday, Nov. 14. Tip is set for 7 p.m. at Gallagher-Iba Arena.