NACOGDOCHES — Senior Amber Gregg scored a game-high 20 points and UTSA led from start to finish in a 66-56 victory at Stephen F. Austin on Saturday night at Johnson Center. The win was the Roadrunners' first away from the Convocation Center of the 2010-11 season and they improved to 6-10 overall (2-1 SLC).
Junior Ashley Gardner added 16 points, while senior Alysse Davis and sophomore Lyndi Thorman chipped in with 11 each.
Ebony Alexander and Tammara Marion paced the Ladyjacks (4-12, 1-2 SLC) with 10 points apiece.
The teams traded baskets in the early going.
Alexander scored the first four points for SFA, but UTSA began to heat up soon thereafter. The Birds hit four of theiir first seven shots, which led to a 10-2 run and a 15-6 lead.
Thorman, making her fourth start of the season, ignited the stretch with an inside basket and a pair of free throws. A Davis 3-pointer along with a basket and free throw by Gardner capped the run.
Back-to-back baskets by Gregg and Franklin minutes later gave UTSA its largest lead of the half, 28-17, with 3:41 to play.
The Ladyjacks crept within four on a 3-pointer by Cheyenne Berry, but a pair of free throws by Gregg gave UTSA a 30-24 haltime advantage.
The Roadrunners’ defense did its part in the opening stanza, holding Marion, the Southland’s leading scorer, scoreless on just three shot attempts.
Franklin’s jumper in the lane at the 19:16 mark was the only field goal in the first six minutes of the second half, as both teams did their damage from the free throw line.
After combining to shoot 12 freebies in the first half, the teams made 13-of-14 in the opening span. Alexander’s jumper at the 13:03 mark gave the Ladyjacks their first field goal of the frame.
Again, Stephen F. Austin cut the deficit to four early, but Gardner’s 3-pointer pushed the lead back to double-digits and, after a free throw with just less than eight minutes to play by Thorman, the Ladyjacks couldn’t get closer than 10 the rest of the way.
Davis’ third 3-pointer of the game gave UTSA its largest lead of the game, 13, with six minutes to play and the Roadrunners cruised to the 10-point triumph.
UTSA forced 16 turnovers, including a season-high 10 steals, and scored 15 points off SFA's miscues. The Roadrunners also were 23-for-26 from the line.
UTSA returns home to face Northwestern State (7-9, 2-1 SLC) at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 19.
