| Senior Onika Anderson had game highs of 20 points and 10 rebounds on Saturday night. |
NACOGDOCHES ? UTSA clinched a share of the Southland Conference Regular Season Championship with a 65-51 win at Stephen F. Austin on Saturday night. It marked the program's second regular season title in school history and first in a half dozen years.
The Roadrunners, who finished the 16-game league slate at 14-2 along with UT Arlington, improved to 21-8 overall in winning their sixth game in a row (19 of 21 overall). They also won for just the second time in 18 all-time visits to Johnson Coliseum.
“Tonight the team was focused because we were aware that UT Arlington had won earlier today and the girls knew what was at stake,” Rippetoe-Blair said. “I have to give a lot of credit to our seniors because they stepped up their game and everyone followed along. Andrea, Monica, Onika and Ryba have meant so much to this program and winning a regular season championship is a great moment in their careers.”
Senior forward Onika Anderson had game highs of 20 points and 10 rebounds en route to her team-leading 13th double-double. SLC Player of the Year candidate Monica Gibbs posted her 35th career double-double with 19 points and 10 boards and also handed out a game-high six assists. Meanwhile, senior forward Ryba Pawlaczyk was the third Roadrunner to haul in 10 rebounds.
“It feels great to win a regular season championship and head into the tournament on a roll,” Gibbs said. “To be the No. 2 seed is a team accomplishment because everyone on this team contributed. Our defense made some key stops and we knocked down our shots. This is a great feeling and we’re going to enjoy it. but we turn our focus to the tournament beginning tomorrow.”
Anderson’s back-to-back buckets increased UTSA’s lead to 31-25 within the first three minutes of the second half. Sophomore guard Jordan Stark knocked down 3-pointer from right wing making it a nine-point advantage at the 13-minute mark. An Antoinette Davis jumper capped off a 7-4 SFA run, which cut the deficit to six with 11:32 to play. The Roadrunners responded with an 8-1 spurt to push back the advantage back to double digits (50-37) with nine minutes to play.
Gibbs scored 10 of the Roadrunners' first 18 points to give them an early 18-7 lead with 11:22 to go in the first half. The Ladyjacks then went on a 13-6 run over the next eight minutes to pull within four at 24-20.
UTSA, which will be the second seed at next week's SLC Tournament, is back in action on Wednesday in first-round action at the Merrell Center in Katy. The Roadrunners will play either Texas State or McNeese State at 2:30 p.m.