SAN ANTONIO — Senior Ashleigh Franklin scored 12 of her game-high 20 points in the second half to help the UTSA women’s basketball team record its first win over a Big 12 team since the conference was formed, topping Kansas State, 72-55, in second game of the UTSA Holiday Classic on Monday night at the Convocation Center.
Junior Ashley Gardner finished with 12 points while senior Alysse Davis and sophomore Jermini Malone chipped-in 11 and 10, respectively. The win snapped the Roadrunners’ (4-6) four-game losing streak. Taelor Karr paced the Wildcats (8-2), who were held to just 25 percent shooting for the game, with 13 points.
Four different Roadrunners scored during an 8-3 run to open the game. A layup by sophomore Cori Cooper was sandwiched between jumpers by Malone, Davis and Franklin for the five-point advantage. Kansas State managed to hit just one of its first six shots while racking up four turnovers during the stretch.
However, the Wildcats began to heat up from behind the arc and back-to-back 3-pointers from Karr and Stephanie Wittman gave K-State its first lead of the game, 13-12, with 10:38 to play in the half.
The Roadrunners erased an eight-point deficit with a 10-2 run to tie the game at 24. Franklin led the way during the stretch, hitting two inside baskets to cut into the lead.
The teams exchanged the lead again before the Wildcats reclaimed a five-point advantage. UTSA answered with a 9-0 run to take a 35-31 lead to halftime. Junior Ijeoma Waturuocha capped the run with a jumper in the paint in the waning seconds of the half.
UTSA had one of its best halves shooting the ball all season, hitting 51.6-percent of its shots while limiting Kansas State to just 31.3-percent. Despite a size disadvantage, the Roadrunners recorded five blocks and totaled 22 points in the paint.
The Wildcats opened the second half in a zone defense and tied the score at 37 on a free throw by Karr. UTSA answered with a 17-5 run that put it in the driver’s seat for the rest of the game.
A pair of Franklin free throws broke the tie, while Waturoucha scored six of her eight points during the spurt that gave the Roadrunners a 54-42 lead with 9:44 to play.
K-State cut the deficit to nine, but would get no closer as UTSA put the game on ice with a 12-4 run for its largest lead of the game, 19 (69-50).
For the game, the Roadrunners outscored the Wildcats 32-16 in the paint and shot 46.2-percent from the floor, their best outing since a 48-percent performance in a win against Tulsa.
UTSA will conclude tournament play at 7 p.m. on Tuesday when it hosts St. Bonaventure (7-4). The Bonnies fell to Middle Tennessee, 58-53, in the event's opener.
