SAN ANTONIO — Freshman Jeromie Hill posted a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds and UTSA opened its 30th season of basketball with an 82-65 victory against Huston-Tillotson on Friday night at the Convocation Center.
Hill led three players in double figures with a 7-for-10 night shooting from the floor. Junior Stephen Franklin also scored 16 and added four rebounds, four steals and three assists. Sophomore Melvin Johnson III added a dozen points, as 13 different Roadrunners scored.
“I was very pleased with our energy and enthusiasm tonight,” head coach Brooks Thompson said. “We came out and put them away early and that lead allowed us to put some different lineups on the floor. We were able to play a lot of guys and everyone really contributed tonight.”
UTSA shot 51.7 percent from the field despite making just 5-of-18 from behind the arc, mainly due to posting 44 points in the paint. The Roadrunners got 36 points off their bench and forced 21 Rams turnovers, 12 via steals.
The Roadrunners built an early lead and never looked back.
A three by Johnson III gave UTSA a 19-11 advantage at the 13:15 mark. The Rams closed the gap to 21-17 on a James Black jumper with 9:05 to play in the first, but the Roadrunners pulled away with a 19-6 run over the next six and a half minutes en route to a 42-28 halftime advantage.
UTSA opened the second half on a 9-2 run that was keyed by a trey and a layup from Franklin. The lead grew to 24 after a pair of layups by Hill and a fast-break dunk by Johnson III put UTSA up, 59-35, with 13:25 remaining on the clock.
UTSA cruised from there, not allowing Huston-Tillotson any closer than 15 points down the stretch and won its 15th consecutive non-conference home game. The Roadrunners also improved to 26-4 all-time in home openers (six consecutive victories) and 20-10 in season openers.
Jerald Ardoin led all players with 27 points and added nine rebounds and three steals for the Rams, who shot just 30.3 percent for the game.
The Roadrunners hit the road to face Evansville at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 17.
