| Senior Morris Smith IV scored a game-high 16 points, including a school-record-tying 10-for-10 performance at the free throw line (photo by Charlie Neibergall, AP). |
IOWA CITY, Iowa — Senior Morris Smith IV led five Roadrunners in double figures with 16 points and UTSA handed Iowa its first home-opening loss in 47 years with a 62-50 victory Sunday evening at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
The Roadrunners (1-0) picked up their first win against a school from the Big Ten conference and snapped a seven-game losing streak in road openers. The Hawkeyes (0-1) had not dropped a home opener since 1962 and also saw a string of 31 consecutive season-opening victories dating back to 1978 come to an end.
"This was a great win for UTSA basketball," fourth-year head coach Brooks Thompson said. "The guys stuck to the game plan and overcame some things that didn't go our way early in the game and down the stretch, so I couldn't be happier. To beat a good program like Iowa on the road and to do something that hasn't been done to them for 40-something years is an outstanding accomplishment for us."
Smith was a perfect 10-for-10 from the free throw line, tying the school’s single-game free throw percentage record held by four others, and added a pair of 3-pointers to lead UTSA’s balanced attack. Senior Terry Fields posted 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting from the field, four steals, three rebounds and a pair of blocks, while junior Devin Gibson added 12 points, a game-high seven assists, four boards and two thefts. Freshman Melvin Johnson III scored 12 points on the strength of four 3-pointers and senior Omar Johnson added 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting.
The Roadrunners were 9-for-20 (45 percent) from downtown and made their first 15 free throws en route to a 88.2-percent (15-17) effort from the line. UTSA also forced 16 Iowa turnovers, nine on steals, and scored 19 points off miscues.
Meanwhile, Iowa struggled shooting all night, making just 17-of-50 (34 percent) from the floor, including 5-of-27 (18.5 percent) from behind the arc. The Hawkeyes outrebounded the Roadrunners, 38-27, and posted 14 second-chance points behind 14 offensive boards.
UTSA opened the second half on a tear, turning a slim 31-29 lead into a 16-point advantage with a 14-0 run over a two-minute, 43-second stretch.
Smith IV converted a pair of free throws after Iowa starting point guard Cully Payne picked up his third foul with 17:54 on the clock, and he then drained a three from the right wing to make it 36-29. Omar Johnson added two more freebies, Gibson knocked down a three from the left corner and Fields was successful from the floor on back-to-back possessions to help stake the Roadrunners to a 45-29 lead just five minutes into the second half.
Gibson drained his second trey and Smith IV made two at the charity stripe to give UTSA a 54-41 lead with 7:36 on the clock.
Iowa would put together a late run, using an 8-0 run that was capped by an Eric May rebound and follow in the paint to pull to within 54-49 with 4:25 left to play.
Johnson quickly answered with a jumper from the right elbow 34 ticks later and Iowa would get no closer than six the rest of the way, as UTSA held for the historic win.
UTSA overcame an ice cold start to the game, as the Roadrunners made just one of their first six field goal attempts in falling behind, 8-2.
Melvin Johnson III got hot from downtown, draining four treys in a four-minute span to help give the Roadrunners a 21-19 lead with just over five minutes left in the half. A 3-point play conversion off a fast-break layup by Johnson pushed the advantage to five with 4:49 remaining.
A steal and dunk by Fields increased the lead to 28-22, however Iowa closed the half on a 6-0 run over the final three minutes to make it a two-point game at the break.
May led the Hawkeyes with 13 points, while Payne tacked on 12. Jarryd Cole pulled down a game-best 13 rebounds.
The Roadrunners will host East Central in the home opener at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 18.