NATCHITOCHES, La. — Senior Devin Gibson registered his fourth double-double of the season and UTSA held on for a 63-58 victory at Northwestern State on Wednesday night.
Gibson scored 20 points, largely behind a 9-for-11 night at the free-throw line, and also grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds to go along with seven assists and five steals to help lead the Roadrunners (8-8, 2-2 SLC) to their second consecutive league road win.
UTSA led by as many as 14 points in the second half before the Demons (10-9, 2-2 SLC) used a big run to make things interesting down the stretch.
A pair of free throws by Will Pratt, who poured in 19 points, pulled the Demons to within two at 48-46 with just over seven minutes to play. Two possessions later, a blocked shot led to a fast-break layup by Devon Baker that gave Northwestern State a 50-49 lead with 6:23 on the clock.
The lead exchanged hands two more times and a layup by Pratt with just under four minutes to play knotted the score at 56.
Two free throws by junior Stephen Franklin and another by Gibson gave UTSA a three-point advantage with 2:47 to play, but Pratt was fouled securing the rebound off the second missed freebie. However, he clanked both attempts to give the ball back to the Roadrunners.
UTSA had two good looks at 3-pointers but could not find the bottom of the net. A turnover by Baker gave the ball back to the Roadrunners with a minute to play.
With the shot clock winding down, Gibson broke down the defense and dished to freshman T.J. Williams — who was playing less than an hour from his hometown of Jonesboro — on the baseline. Williams slammed it home to give the Roadrunners a 61-56 lead with 43 seconds remaining.
The Demons then were fouled and a pair of free throws made it a one possession game. NSU quickly fouled freshman Jeromie Hill after the inbounds pass and the Cairns, Australia, native knocked down 1-of-2 to push the lead to four.
UTSA forced another turnover, the Demons’ 19th of the night, at the other end and Gibson secured the loose ball. He was fouled and made one to secure the win.
Sophomore Melvin Johnson III joined Gibson in double figures with 11, while Franklin added eight.
In a first half marred by foul trouble — UTSA was whistled 16 times and NSU committed 11 — the Roadrunners held a 29-20 lead at the break thanks to pressure defense and poor shooting by the Demons. NSU made just 4-of-27 (14.8 percent) from the floor and could not take advantage of nine trips to the charity stripe, making just 10-of-18 (55.6 percent).
UTSA held Northwestern to just 1-of-13 shooting (7.7 percent) through the first nine minutes in building a 15-7 lead. The Demons made a pair of 3-pointers to cut the deficit to two, but the Roadrunners responded with an 8-0 run behind four points from Gibson to extend the lead to 10 at 23-13.
The Roadrunners pushed the lead into double digits early in the second half. Gibson drained a three from the wing at the 13:47 mark , which gave UTSA a 44-30 advantage, its largest of the night.
The Roadrunners return home to host I-35 rival Texas State (7-10, 2-1 SLC) on Saturday. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the game will be televised locally on Time Warner Cable's channel 50.
