SAN ANTONIO — Keon Lewis led all scorers and paced four Roadrunners in double figures with 28 points as UTSA opened its 34th season with a 92-74 win over Huston-Tillotson on Friday night at the Convocation Center.
Lewis went 7-of-13 from the field, 2-of-4 from behind the arc and 12-of-15 at the free throw line en route to the best scoring performance in a UTSA opener during the Brooks Thompson era. After a slow start, fellow senior Jeromie Hill hit seven consecutive shots for 14 points, while Ryan Bowie and Larry Lewis Jr. totaled 11 points apiece for the Roadrunners (1-0), who improved to 22-12 all-time in season openers.
UTSA, which came away with its most points in a season opener since a 97-75 win over Texas A&M-Kingsville to start the 1994-95 campaign, shot 56.3 percent in the second half and 49.2 percent for the contest to go along with 52 points in the paint. In all, 10 different players scored, including 41 points from the squad’s newcomers.
Meanwhile, Malcolm Ballard led the Rams, who were playing the contest as an exhibition, with 19 points.
The Roadrunners started fast and connected on each of their first three shots. Bowie, who also tied for the team lead with seven rebounds, fueled an early 11-2 surge with seven consecutive points, including his first 3-pointer of the campaign. After Larry Lewis Jr. and Keon Lewis netted the squad’s first four points, Bowie went to work with a pair of baskets inside that were sandwiched around his triple.
UTSA, which never trailed in the contest, kept the defensive pressure on Huston-Tillotson and slowly built its lead with a combination of layups and outside shooting.
Freshman Austin Karrer drove to the basket for his first collegiate bucket before Lewis nailed a jumper and Lucas O’Brien drained the third 3-pointer of his career to extend the advantage to 18-4 midway through the half.
A jumper from Ballard pulled the Rams within 20-9 before a Kaj-Björn Sherman dunk ignited an 11-0 spurt from the home squad.
Sherman had a tip-in and Lewis bookended an Edwin Olympio free throw with a pair of treys for a 31-9 lead and the Roadrunners took a 40-16 cushion to intermission.
It was much the same in the second half, as the Roadrunners’ lead grew to as much as 31 and it did not dip below 20 until the final minutes.
UTSA connected on 15 of its first 21 shots through the first 12 minutes of the stanza to build a comfortable 81-50 advantage.
After missing his first six attempts of the night, Hill caught fire and connected on his final seven shots, all of which came in the final 13 minutes, for his 14 points. Lewis Jr. also scored nine of his 11 points in the second half, while Gino Littles led the squad with four assists in his seven minutes of action.
UTSA led again by 31, 83-52, on an Olympio layup with 7:06 remaining. The Rams were able to trim 15 points off the deficit, but would not get closer than 16 and Littles knocked down a pair of freebies to seal the 92-74 final.
The Roadrunners will continue their five game homestand to start the season at 7 p.m. on Monday, when they host Texas-Pan American (1-0) at the Convocation Center.