SAN ANTONIO — Kaj-Björn Sherman and Jeromie Hill combined for 38 points and 19 rebounds, as UTSA used a big second half to rally past Middle Tennessee, 69-58, on Thursday night at the Convocation Center.
Sherman neared his career high with 20 points, 17 of which came in the second half, on a 7-of-10 night from the floor and 6-of-8 mark at the free throw line to go along with seven rebounds for the Roadrunners (10-9, 4-4 C-USA).
Meanwhile, Hill notched his 14th career double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds. The reigning Conference USA Player of the Week now has 1,515 points and 738 boards and joined Devin Brown (1,922 points/751 rebounds) as the only players in program history to amass at least 1,500 points and 700 rebounds.
Ryan Bowie scored 12 of his 16 points in the first half and Keon Lewis chipped in 10, as UTSA shot 52.3 percent in the contest, including a 59.1 percent clip in the second half.
Meanwhile, Darnell Harris and Perrin Buford scored 15 points apiece for the Blue Raiders (12-9, 5-3 C-USA), who were held to just 34.8 percent shooting and fell to 3-7 away from home this season.
Facing a 38-31 halftime deficit, the Roadrunners went on a 15-3 run to start the second half to reclaim the lead.
Hill set up a Lewis layup with a steal, but the basket was matched by a Harris jumper before UTSA scored the next nine straight points for a 42-41 lead, which was its first since late in the first half.
Bowie got the string started with a jumper and Hill came away with an old-fashioned three-point play to bring the crowd to its feet. Sherman’s 16-footer rattled in and the 7-footer followed with a tip-in, a pair of free throws and another layup to cap the run and give the Roadrunners a 46-41 cushion.
However, the Blue Raiders would not go away as Harris buried a 3-pointer with 10:13 remaining that gave the visitors a slim 52-51 lead, but the visitors would get just two baskets the rest of the way.
The UTSA defense picked up and held Middle Tennessee without a field goal for the next 7:45 and went on a 12-2 run during that time to take the lead for good.
Hill started the rally with a 3-pointer before free throws from Sherman and Gino Littles. Sherman had another offensive rebound and basket and later capped the stretch with a pair of freebies for a 63-54 advantage.
Buford broke the field-goal drought with a layup, but Hill drained two free throws and found Bowie cutting to the basket for an easy layup, as UTSA coasted to the 11-point triumph.
Both teams started hot and UTSA went 6-of-9 from the field to grab a 15-11 lead. The final shot in that stretch was the first of four consecutive triples for Bowie, whose 12 points in the first half led the Roadrunners.
His final trey of the stanza pushed the home squad’s lead to 24-17, but UTSA would go cold and did not make a basket after Hill’s jumper with 8:16 to play in the period.
Middle Tennessee went 8-of-16 from the floor during the time, including a stretch in which it connected on seven of its last eight shots in the final four minutes. The 15-1 run gave the visitors a 38-31 lead at the half.
UTSA will return to the Convocation Center floor for a 2 p.m. matchup against UAB (10-11, 6-2 C-USA) on Saturday.