SAN ANTONIO — Michael Hale III scored 18 points, but Stephon Carter led three CSU Bakersfield players in double figures with 16 to help the visitors win the battle of Roadrunners, 61-52, on Tuesday night at the Convocation Center.
Hale III made 7-of-10 from the free-throw line en route to his eighth consecutive double-digit output, but UTSA (5-19) struggled overall from the charity stripe for the second consecutive game by making just 15-of-24 (62.5 percent) three days after hitting only 54.2 percent (13-of-24) at UT Arlington.
Meanwhile, CSUB (10-15) knocked down 19-of-21 at the line for 90.5 percent. Adam Young (14) and Tyrone White (12) joined Carter in double figures scoring.
UTSA, which shot just 33.3 percent (16-of-48) from the floor and 27.8 percent (5-of-18) from behind the 3-point line, never led but fought back from a nine-point first-half deficit to tie the score early in the second half.
Trailing by a 28-19 count at the break, Jordan Sims knocked down a pair of treys early in the final stanza to key an 8-2 spurt that pulled the home team to within three (30-27), the closest margin since CSUB took a 3-0 lead to start the contest.
Burrage then was fouled and made both free throws to pull UTSA to within one and Jeromie Hill followed with 1-of-2 at the line to knot the score at 30 with 14:15 remaining.
The visitors answered with a 10-2 run over the next two-and-a-half minutes and never relinquished the lead.
The advantage grew to double digits after short jumper in the lane off an inbounds pass by Stephon Carter made it 45-34 midway through the half.
UTSA got to within 53-46 after Hale III drained a pair of freebies at the 1:31 mark, but CSUB finished the game off by going a perfect 8-for-8 at the line to complete the regular season sweep.
UTSA shot just 28.6 percent (6-of-21) in the first half, including missing all six of its 3-point attempts, in falling behind by nine at the intermission. CSUB drained its first three shots from long distance and raced out to an 11-2 lead. UTSA cut the deficit to four on five occasions but could get no closer until the second half.
UTSA will renew the I-35 rivalry with Texas State (7-18, 3-10 WAC) at 4 p.m. Saturday in San Marcos.