| Senior Onika Anderson scored a team-high 19 points and grabbed 14 boards on Wednesday. |
HUNTSVILLE ? UTSA used balanced scoring with five players reaching double figures and the Roadrunners picked up a 67-62 win at Sam Houston State on Wednesday night at Johnson Coliseum. It was the program's 15th consecutive win against the Bearkats.
UTSA (13-7, 6-1 SLC) was led by senior forward Onika Anderson’s team-high 19 points and she also grabbed 14 rebounds. Meanwhile, senior guard Monica Gibbs matched her career-best with 15 boards, including 10 on the offensive end and the reigning Southland Conference Player of the Week also handed out a game-high seven assists. Sophomore guards Amber Gregg and Jordan Stark chipped in with 14 points apiece and junior guard Alysse Davis added 10.
The Roadrunners held a 51-38 rebounding advantage, including a season-high 26 offensive boards, and that led to a 24-12 edge in second-chance points.
Sam Houston (6-14, 3-4 SLC) was led by Whitney Smith’s game-high 20 points.
UTSA used an 18-13 run to cut Sam Houston State’s deficit to 44-41 within the first seven minutes of the second half. However, the Bearkats responded with five straight points to extend their lead to eight (49-41) with 11:18 remaining. Davis’ three ball made it a three-point game with under seven minutes to play, but Brittany Brooks answered with a 3-pointer of her own to increase the lead a half dozen a minute later.
The Birds netted the next eight points to grab their first lead of the game when Davis connected on her second trey of the half. Smith was good on a jumper to tie it at 58 with 4:20 showing on the clock. Stark then knocked down a 3-pointer from the right corner to give UTSA the lead for good at the three-minute mark. The Roadrunners went 5-of-6 from the free throw in the closing minutes to ice the five-point win.
With the scoe tied at five with 16:51 to go in the first half, the Bearkats used a 10-3 run to take a 15-8 advantage at the 11-minute mark. A Gibbs layup pulled UTSA within two at 19-17, but Sam Houston State ended the frame with a 12-6 run and headed into the locker room with a 31-23 edge.
UTSA returns home on Saturday for a 2 p.m. contest against Southeastern Louisiana.