SAN ANTONIO — The UTSA women’s basketball team raced out to a 22-point first-half lead and held off a second-half charge by Sam Houston State en route to a 75-66 victory on Saturday at the Convocation Center.
It was the fifth consecutive win for the Roadrunners (9-10, 5-1 SLC) and it moved them atop the Southland Conference’s West Division standings.
Senior Amber Gregg led the way with 15 points, while fellow senior Alysse Davis reached double-figures for the third time in her last four games with 13.
Khamra Echols led the Bearkats (11-10, 5-2 SLC) with a game-high 18 points.
UTSA trailed in the early minutes, falling behind 8-2 after back-to-back 3-pointers by Sequeena Thomas.
Sophomore Lyndi Thorman’s inside basket and a Davis 3-pointer pulled the Roadrunners within one, 8-7. After a Chanice Smith layup, UTSA turned up the defensive pressure and held Sam Houston scoreless for the next seven minutes.
During that time, the Roadrunners rattled off a 28-3 run to take control of the game.
Gregg’s runner in the lane sparked the outburst and UTSA took its first lead of the afternoon on a jumper by senior Kelsey Ansley. The Roadrunners scored at will during the run, hitting jumpers, driving to the basket and converting free throws.
Echols provided the only offense for the Bearkats during the stretch with a 3-pointer at the top of the key to momentarily slow the UTSA momentum.
However, senior Kameisha Johnson answered with a 3-pointer of her own and another layup from Gregg capped the run.
When the dust had settled, UTSA owned a 35-13 advantage with five minutes to play in the half.
Sam Houston State used a 17-6 run of its own, highlighted by three consecutive 3-pointers, to close the half, but the Roadrunners took a 41-30 lead into intermission.
UTSA benefited from its best shooting half of the season, connecting at a 63-percent clip, and eight different players lit up the scoreboard.
The Bearkats kept pace for the opening minutes of the second half before making a charge.
Trailing 50-35, Sam Houston went on a 17-5 run over the next 10 minutes to pull within three, 55-52. Baskets by junior Ashley Gardner and Ansley along with a free throw by Gregg were the only offense for the Birds in the stretch.
The Roadrunners went back to the paint for layups by Gardner and Davis to push the lead to seven (59-52) and the Bearkats did not get closer than six the rest of the way.
UTSA iced the game at the foul line, hitting 12 free throws in the final four minutes for the nine-point triumph.
The Birds shot a season-best 58.7 percent from the floor, a mark that was aided by 36 points in the paint.
The Roadrunners return to action on Wednesday, Feb. 2, when they travel to the Metroplex to face UT Arlington (5-12, 2-3 SLC). Tip is slated for 7 p.m.
