SAN ANTONIO — UTSA led with 3:18 to play in regulation but headed to overtime with the Rice Owls and dropped a 62-58 decision on Friday night at the Convocation Center in the Conference USA opener for both teams.
The contest featured nine ties that led to overtime where Rice (6-6, 0-1 C-USA) outscored UTSA, 12-8. Nakachi Maduka scored six and Maya Hawkins added five to pace the Owls in the extra session. Hawkins finished the night with a career-high 25 points.
The senior duo of Kamra King and Ashley Spaletta led the Roadrunners (5-8, 0-1 C-USA) in with 19 and 11 points, respectively. Tesha Smith scored five points and matched a career high with 12 rebounds.
UTSA shot 35 percent (19-of-55) for the game and 65 percent (17-of-26) from the charity stripe.
The Roadrunners trailed by three at the half, 29-26, but they kicked it into gear coming out the intermission and managed to overcome a five-point deficit and take the lead at 38-37 with 12:16 remaining.
UTSA held onto the advantage until 3:18 on a pair of free throws from King, but a jumper from Hawkins evened the scored and took the game to overtime as both teams went scoreless in the final 3:14 of regulation.
The Roadrunners will return to action at 2 p.m. on Sunday when it hosts North Texas (1-11, 0-1 C-USA).