SAN ANTONIO — Kaj-Björn Sherman and Jeromie Hill each registered double-doubles and combined to score 42 points to lead UTSA to a 79-68 win over Cameron on Tuesday afternoon at the Convocation Center.
Sherman posted career highs of 21 points and 17 rebounds for the Roadrunners, who will enter Conference USA play on Friday with an even 5-5 record. His 17 rebounds are the third-highest mark by any C-USA player this season and the most since John Millsap also pulled down 17 against Sam Houston State on Feb. 3, 2005.
The 7-footer went 7-of-13 from the field and knocked down all seven of his free throws to go along with three steals and a block.
Hill’s double-double was his third this season and the 13th of his career. The senior posted a season-high 21 points and 11 boards, while Christian Wilson also recorded a season-best 17 points.
Meanwhile, Deondre Ray paced the Aggies (7-4) with 13 points.
Sherman and Hill combined to score the Roadrunners’ first 15 points, and the duo would produce 26 in the opening half, but Cameron went on a 12-3 run to grab a 24-18 lead.
During the Aggies’ spurt, UTSA missed 10 consecutive shots before Keon Lewis’ layup.
Kedorian Sullivan’s fast-break dunk with 5:55 to play in the period pushed the Cameron cushion to 26-20 before the Roadrunners went on a 21-2 run.
Wilson helped ignite the stretch with a 3-pointer and followed with a steal. Sherman and Wilson hit four consecutive free throws to give UTSA the lead for good before the 7-footer knocked down a jumper and Hill drained his third 3-pointer of the half.
A Jamaal Brantley layup briefly slowed the run, but the Roadrunners used stellar defense to shut down the Aggies and create fast break chances.
Bowie scored six straight points and collected a pair of steals, including a basket to cap the run and give the home squad a 41-28 lead and a 43-33 edge at halftime.
Hill and Sherman scored baskets to start the second half for the Roadrunners’ largest lead of the contest, 47-33, with 19:14 to go.
However, the Aggies outscored UTSA 24-9 over the next seven minutes to grab a 57-56 lead.
Wilson tied the game with a free throw and the teams exchanged 3-pointers to knot the score at 60 before the Roadrunners began to pull away for good.
Hill hit a pair of free throws and Bowie drained a triple to start an 11-2 run for a 71-62 lead with just four minutes to play. Another Bowie 3-pointer pushed the advantage to double digits and Wilson added another from long distance to help close out the 79-68 win.
UTSA will open Conference USA play with a 7 p.m. contest at Rice (3-8) on Friday.