| Junior Ashleigh Franklin recorded her seventh double-double of the season on Wednesday night. |
SAN ANTONIO — UTSA posted three players in double-figures withsophomore Whitney York leading the way with 18 points and the Roadrunners defeated Central Arkansas, 71-66, in SouthlandConference action on Wednesday night at the Convocation Center.
The Roadrunners improved to 13-9 on the season and7-2 in conference play, while the Sugar Bears dropped to 17-6 overalland 7-3 in league action. The win put UTSA in a second-place tie with TexasA&M-Corpus Christi, one game behind Lamar in the West Division.
York’s 18 points came on the strength of a perfect12-of-12 performance from the free throw line, while junior Ashleigh Franklinposted her seventh double-double of the season with 15 points and 11rebounds on the night. Meanwhile, freshman Judy Jones, who also was perfect (5-of-5) from the charity stripe, contributed 13 and eight boards.
The Birds made a season-high 28 out of 31 attempts en route to a season-best 90.1 percent effort from the free throw line.
Freshman Megan Herbert, who upped her nationaldouble-doubles streak to 23, led UCA with a game-high 25 points and adozen rebounds. Nakeia Guiden and Britney Gowans chipped in with 18 and12 points, respectively.
UTSA pushed its lead to six (41-35) on Franklin’sdriving layup with 16:29 to play in the second half. Guiden then scoredsix of the next Central Arkansas’ eight points that gave UCA aone-point margin (42-41), but the Roadrunners quickly retook the leadon back-to-back baskets by York and junior Kelsey Ansley with 13:06 togo in the game.
Herbert’s and Westin Taylor’s short jumpers made it a55-51 UCA advantage past the midway point of the contest. A pair offreebies by York and two layups by Jones gave the Runners the 62-60edge with five minutes and change left on the clock.
Both teams would then trade basket over the nextseveral minutes, until York made good on a pair of free throws to putUTSA up for good (68-66) with 34 seconds left. UCA had its chance totie the contest, but blown layups and a turnover allowed for theRoadrunners to clinch the game at the charity stripe.
First half action saw UTSA and Central Arkansas tradebaskets back and forth with neither able to take more than a two-pointlead. However; the Runners then went on a 6-0 run for their largestlead of the game at 25-18 on York’s free throws with 5:58 to play inthe frame.
The Sugar Bears responded with their own 9-2 run overthe next two minutes to tie the game at 27-27. Jones then put theRunners atop 33-30 with her three-point play just before the half.
UTSA heads to the Metroplex for a 2 p.m. divisional showdown atUT Arlington on Saturday. The game can be seen on the Southland Television Network (locally on Time Warner Cable channel 50/also on espn360.com).