SAN ANTONIO — Devon Agusi scored a career-high 28 points and UTSA pulled away with an 11-1 run in the final minutes to rally for a 64-56 win over Cameron on Tuesday afternoon at the Convocation Center.
Agusi went 7-of-13 from the floor and connected on 13 free throws to go along with four rebounds, three assists and three steals for the Roadrunners (4-8), who snapped a two-game losing skid. Fellow senior Jordan Sims hit three 3-pointers and scored 13 points for his ninth game in double-figures this season.
UTSA held a 37-33 edge on the glass and used 17 offensive rebounds to score 16 second-chance points. In addition, the Birds hit 31 free throws to improve to 5-0 all-time against the Aggies.
Meanwhile, former Roadrunner Tank Mayberry came off the bench to lead the Aggies (5-5) with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Charles Joy added 10 points and four boards in the contest, which counted as an exhibition for the Aggies.
Cameron shot 40-percent from the floor and scored 18 points off 11 UTSA turnovers to go along with a 20-18 edge in the paint.
After 10 ties in the first 35:17 of the game, Sims hit a 3-pointer with four minutes to play that gave UTSA a 56-55 lead and sparked the 11-1 run.
Joy knotted the score at 56 with a free throw, but it would prove to be the last point for the visitors as the Roadrunners closed the game with eight freebies in the final 2:12 en route to the victory.
Phillip Jones converted an Agusi steal into a basket to start the second half before a 7-0 run gave Cameron its largest lead of the game, 36-29, with 17:24 to play. The Aggies held the lead until Sims’ 3-pointer with 8:34 left gave UTSA its first advantage since the 3:27 mark of the first half.
Neither team could get any separation over the next six minutes until the Roadrunners went on their game-deciding run.
Cameron hit three of its first five shots and jumped out to a quick 7-2 lead to start the game before the Roadrunners countered with a 14-2 run.
Sims started the spurt with a 3-pointer and a Hyjii Thomas basket knotted the score. Agusi gave UTSA its first lead of the contest with a triple and followed with an old-fashioned three-point play to push the advantage to 13-7. After a Craig Foster steal and layup, James Williams capped the run with a 3-pointer.
The Aggies answered with an 11-2 stretch of their own to tie the score at 18 with 5:31 to play in the half.
George Matthews reclaimed the lead for the home squad with three free throws, but Charles Joy hit a jumper with 2:33 on the clock and Cameron took a 29-27 lead to halftime.
UTSA will close non-conference play on the road at 7 p.m. on Saturday at Arkansas (10-2).