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| Senior Morris Smith VI netted a half dozen 3-pointers en route to a game-high 22 points in Saturday's league opener. |
LAKE CHARLES, La. — Senior Morris Smith IV drained six 3-pointers and UTSA used a strong second half to defeat McNeese State, 78-69, in the Southland Conference opener for both teams on Saturday at Burton Coliseum.
The Roadrunners outscored the Cowboys (5-10), 50-37, in the second half and recorded the first 11-3 start in school history. UTSA, which won its second straight league opener, was victorious in Lake Charles for the first time since an 80-75 win on Jan. 20, 2005, at the Civic Center and for the first time at Burton Coliseum since a 70-66 decision on Dec. 28, 2000.
“It’s always good to start conference with a win,” said head coach Brooks Thompson, who recorded his 50th victory at UTSA. “We didn’t play well in the first half, but the guys responded in the second half and played more within themselves.
Smith IV was a perfect 5-for-5 from beyond the arc in the second half and finished with a game-high 22 points on the strength of a 6-for-8 afternoon from downtown, just one trey and one point shy of his career highs posted last year at Lamar.
“Mo shot the heck out of the ball,” Thompson said. “He had the hot hand in the second half, so our guys were looking for him and he delivered.”
Junior Devin Gibson scored 21 points behind 6-for-9 shooting from the floor and an 8-for-10 showing at the free throw line. The Houston native, who reached 900 points for his career with a free throw early in the first half, also registered five assists, five rebounds and three steals.
UTSA was 17-for-25 (68 percent) from the field in the second half, including 8-of-9 from behind the 3-point line, to overcome a tough first half (33.3 percent) and finish at 49.1 percent. The Roadrunners were 10-for-16 (62.5 percent) from downtown and shot 82.4 percent (14-17) from the charity stripe.
Meanwhile, Diego Kapelan and Patrick Richard tallied 15 points apiece to lead McNeese State, which shot 41.9 percent from the field, 41.7 percent (10-24) from behind the arc and 87.5 percent (7-8) from the line.
UTSA shot just 33.3 percent (10-30) from the field in the first and found itself trailing by four at the half.
A follow by P.J. Alowaya gave McNeese a seven-point lead with just over two minutes to play in the first, the largest advantage by either team to that point. A 3-pointer from the right wing by Smith IV helped the Roadrunners pull back to within 32-28 at the break.
Senior Omar Johnson and Gibson connected from behind the arc to kick start a 12-2 run over the first five minutes of the second half and give UTSA a 40-34 advantage. Smith IV then drained back-to-back treys from the right wing to build the lead to 46-36 with 13:40 on the clock.
The Roadrunners eventually made their first seven attempts from downtown in the second half and led by as many as 11 before the Cowboys climbed back to make things interesting down the stretch.
Kapelan sandwiched four free throws around a three from Brandon Regis to cut what was a 10-point deficit down to 54-50 with just under nine minutes to play.
UTSA responded by pushing the lead back out to double digits, as a three-point play by senior Terry Fields made it 64-54 with six minutes remaining.
Kapelan struck again, this time with a rainmaker from the top of the key pulled the Cowboys back to within four at 66-62 with under four minutes left.
The Roadrunners would hold on from there, as Smith IV connected one more time from downtown and Gibson and Johnson combined to go 7-for-8 from the line in the final two minutes to secure the victory.
The Roadrunners return home to host Nicholls at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 13.
The Roadrunners outscored the Cowboys (5-10), 50-37, in the second half and recorded the first 11-3 start in school history. UTSA, which won its second straight league opener, was victorious in Lake Charles for the first time since an 80-75 win on Jan. 20, 2005, at the Civic Center and for the first time at Burton Coliseum since a 70-66 decision on Dec. 28, 2000.
“It’s always good to start conference with a win,” said head coach Brooks Thompson, who recorded his 50th victory at UTSA. “We didn’t play well in the first half, but the guys responded in the second half and played more within themselves.
Smith IV was a perfect 5-for-5 from beyond the arc in the second half and finished with a game-high 22 points on the strength of a 6-for-8 afternoon from downtown, just one trey and one point shy of his career highs posted last year at Lamar.
“Mo shot the heck out of the ball,” Thompson said. “He had the hot hand in the second half, so our guys were looking for him and he delivered.”
Junior Devin Gibson scored 21 points behind 6-for-9 shooting from the floor and an 8-for-10 showing at the free throw line. The Houston native, who reached 900 points for his career with a free throw early in the first half, also registered five assists, five rebounds and three steals.
UTSA was 17-for-25 (68 percent) from the field in the second half, including 8-of-9 from behind the 3-point line, to overcome a tough first half (33.3 percent) and finish at 49.1 percent. The Roadrunners were 10-for-16 (62.5 percent) from downtown and shot 82.4 percent (14-17) from the charity stripe.
Meanwhile, Diego Kapelan and Patrick Richard tallied 15 points apiece to lead McNeese State, which shot 41.9 percent from the field, 41.7 percent (10-24) from behind the arc and 87.5 percent (7-8) from the line.
UTSA shot just 33.3 percent (10-30) from the field in the first and found itself trailing by four at the half.
A follow by P.J. Alowaya gave McNeese a seven-point lead with just over two minutes to play in the first, the largest advantage by either team to that point. A 3-pointer from the right wing by Smith IV helped the Roadrunners pull back to within 32-28 at the break.
Senior Omar Johnson and Gibson connected from behind the arc to kick start a 12-2 run over the first five minutes of the second half and give UTSA a 40-34 advantage. Smith IV then drained back-to-back treys from the right wing to build the lead to 46-36 with 13:40 on the clock.
The Roadrunners eventually made their first seven attempts from downtown in the second half and led by as many as 11 before the Cowboys climbed back to make things interesting down the stretch.
Kapelan sandwiched four free throws around a three from Brandon Regis to cut what was a 10-point deficit down to 54-50 with just under nine minutes to play.
UTSA responded by pushing the lead back out to double digits, as a three-point play by senior Terry Fields made it 64-54 with six minutes remaining.
Kapelan struck again, this time with a rainmaker from the top of the key pulled the Cowboys back to within four at 66-62 with under four minutes left.
The Roadrunners would hold on from there, as Smith IV connected one more time from downtown and Gibson and Johnson combined to go 7-for-8 from the line in the final two minutes to secure the victory.
The Roadrunners return home to host Nicholls at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 13.