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| Senior Morris Smith IV scored 21 points on Saturday night and led UTSA in scoring for the ninth time this season. |
BEAUMONT — Senior Morris Smith IV poured in 21 points, UTSA shot a season-high 60.4 percent from the floor and the Roadrunners held off a late Lamar rally in a 76-74 victory on Saturday night at the Montagne Center.
UTSA (18-9, 8-6 SLC) extended its winning streak to five games and clinched a spot in the State Farm Southland Conference Tournament for the third consecutive season with the two-point triumph. The Cardinals fell to 14-16 and 5-9.
Smith IV led UTSA in scoring for the ninth time this year in recording his second 20-point game of the campaign (22, at McNeese State). He was 8-for-12 from the floor, including 3-of-4 from behind the 3-point line. Meanwhile, senior Omar Johnson added 17 and a game-high eight rebounds.
The Roadrunners were 29-of-48 from the floor, including 5-for-13 from downtown, and they made 13-of-17 at the free-throw line. UTSA also posted a 32-28 edge on the glass against the conference’s top rebounding team.
UTSA led by as many as 11 late in the second half, but Lamar put together a furious rally to make things interesting in the final minutes.
A 3-pointer from right wing by Reggie Mathis with 2:26 to play brought Lamar to within five at 68-63. Anthony Miles then drew an offensive foul on Gibson — his fourth — with 2:11 on the clock and Coy Custer was fouled on the low block and he converted both free throws to make it a one-possession game.
Following a UTSA turnover, Miles drained a jumper from the right side to cut the Roadrunners’ lead down to one (68-67).
At the other end, with the shot clock winding down, Gibson was fouled driving to the basket and he made both free throws to push the lead back to three.
Nabors drove hard for a layup to make it a one-point game again and Johnson was fouled intentionally in the backcourt to extend the game. He made one of two from the line with 29 ticks remaining.
Lamar came up empty on the other end and Johnson was fouled again. He missed the first but made the second to put UTSA up, 72-69.
UTSA fouled Miles and he made both with 11 seconds remaining, but Smith IV was fouled quickly and he returned the favor to make it 74-71 with just eight ticks remaining.
Johnson fouled Miles with 2.1 seconds left to avoid the potential game-tying 3-pointer and Miles made the first and intentionally missed the second, but Gibson came away with the rebound. He was quickly fouled and made both freebies to seal the win. A last-second jumper by Donley Minor was good to provide the final two-point margin.
UTSA blistered the nets for 66.7 percent in the first half in creating a 38-27 halftime lead. Senior Demarco Stepter scored 11 of his 13 in the period
The Roadrunners return home to host I-35 rival Texas State in the regular season home finale at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 3.