| Senior Omar Johnson's steal and pair of free throws in the final seconds propelled UTSA to a Homecoming victory on Saturday night. |
SAN ANTONIO — Senior Omar Johnson’s steal and pair of free throws in the final seconds helped UTSA knock off Sam Houston State, 91-90, in overtime Saturday night in front of a season-high 3,675 fans at the Convocation Center.
The Roadrunners improved to 16-9 overall and 6-6 in Southland Conference play with their first home win against Sam Houston since Dec. 22, 2001. The victory knocked the Bearkats, 19-6 overall, from the league’s unbeaten ranks, as they fell to 11-1 in the league. The only remaining teams in the nation with perfect conference records are Butler (Horizon), Kansas (Big 12) and Murray State (Ohio Valley).
Corey Allmond, who led Sam Houston with 17 points, drained a 3-pointer from the top of the key to give the Bearkats an 87-86 lead with 48 seconds left in overtime.
Junior Devin Gibson, who led all players with 22 points, was fouled at the other end and made both free throws to put UTSA on top by one.
Drae Murray missed a long 3-point attempt and Gibson came down with the board and was send to the line again. His first free throw put the Roadrunners up by two, but his second attempt rimmed out and the Bearkats came down with the rebound.
Murray dribbled to the right side, but Johnson stripped the ball with the clock winding down under 10 seconds and was fouled. His two free throws with four ticks remaining sealed the win for UTSA in front of the fifth-largest crowd in Convocation Center history.
Gibson posted seven rebounds and three assists to go along with his 20 points, 13 of which came at the charity stripe. Johnson scored a season-high 19 behind a 10-for-12 night at the line, while senior Terry Fields poured in 19 behind 9-for-10 free throws. Senior Morris Smith IV posted his first double-double with 12 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.
Allmond’s 17 led six Bearkats in double figures; Lance Pevehouse (16), Gilberto Clavell (14), Ashton Mitchell (13), Murray (11) and Preston Brown (10).
The end of regulation was just as exciting as the extra period.
Gibson knocked down a three from right wing with 1:25 left to hand UTSA a 76-73 lead. Clavell was fouled at the other end and made 1-of-2 free throws with just over a minute on the clock.
Johnson was fouled with 22 seconds left, but missed the second of his free-throw attempts to give the Bearkats a chance to tie. Murray stepped up with a long three from the left wing to knot the score at 77-all.
UTSA had three looks at the basket with the final seconds ticking off, but could not get the ball to fall.
Both teams got off to a hot start shooting in the first half. UTSA hit 17-of-34 for 50 percent despite making just 3-of-12 from behind the arc. Sam Houston blistered the nets from downtown for 8-of-18 (44.4 percent) and shot 51.6 percent (16-31) from the floor overall.
The Bearkats led by nine after a Josten Crow baseline jumper made it 42-33 with 2:25 to play in the first. UTSA closed the half with a 9-2 run, as back-to-back treys by senior Morris Smith IV helped get to within 44-42 at the break. It marked the most first-half points for the Roadrunners since scoring 45 in the 84-58 win over Texas-Pan American on Dec. 9, 2009.
The Roadrunners host Northwestern State at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 24.