HATTIESBURG, Miss. — In its second overtime contest in less than a week, UTSA dropped a 69-60 decision at Southern Miss on Thursday night.
The Lady Eagles (9-4, 2-0 C-USA) showed the crowd at Reed Green Coliseum why they’re ranked seventh in the NCAA in 3-point field goal percentage, shooting 41 percent (7-of-17) from beyond the arc. In fact, Southern Miss started the game with three triples, two of which were shot by Brook Rhodes, who netted a team-high 17 points and matched a career best with five rebounds.
After the Lady Eagles went up 9-0 on the ensuing possession, Akunna Elonu scored the Roadrunners’ first bucket of the night to make it 9-2.
UTSA (6-9, 1-2 C-USA) was down by as many as 12 halfway through the opening stanza, but it went on a 12-6 run in the final five minutes to make it a four-point game at the half, 32-28.
The Roadrunners shot 81 percent (21-of-26) from the free-throw line and were perfect until the second half when Kamra King missed a pair at the eight-minute mark.
UTSA turned it on in the second half and tied the score six times and the final time led to overtime. Crystal Chidomere drew the first tie of the game at 38-all with 15:49 to play, which forced a Southern Miss timeout.
The Lady Eagles regained their lead 19 seconds later and the Roadrunners didn’t trail more than five the rest of the way.
Elonu gave UTSA its second lead of the game at the 2:38 mark, but it quickly was taken back when Brittanny Dinkins made 1-of-2 free throws.
The Roadrunners scored only two points in overtime, as Southern Miss went up 69-60 on a pair of 3-pointers from Rhodes and shots from Dinkins and reigning C-USA Player of the Week Tamara Jones.
UTSA will continue its three-game road swing on Saturday at Louisiana Tech (6-7 ,1-1 C-USA). Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m.