SAN ANTONIO — UTSA used a second-half surge to blow past FIU on Thursday night at the Convocation Center, 74-56.
After trailing by as many as seven in the opening 20 minutes, the Roadrunners (10-12, 5-5 C-USA) came back with strong in the second and managed to grab a 46-44 lead after a Kamra King layup, which started an 8-0 run.
A 15-1 stretch later in the stanza gave UTSA a 21-point advantage with four minutes remaining .
As the clock rolled down, the Panthers (3-17, 0-9 C-USA) whittled the deficit down to 16, 70-54, but that was the closest they got the rest of the way as they dropped their ninth consecutive outing.
UTSA outscored FIU by a score of 44-26 after intermission after netting just 30 in the first half. The Roadrunners held a 41-36 advantage on the glass while committing only 11 turnovers to the Panthers’ 20.
Mathilde Hergott paced three Roadrunners in double figures with a season-best 15 points to go along with four assists and three steals. Meanwhile, King netted 13 and added five rebounds, while Akunna Elonu chipped in with 12 and six.
UTSA’s slow start in the first was not evident with its 44 percent (12-of-27) shooting. The Roadrunners led for a mere three minutes but the teams headed to the locker room tied at 30.
Kiandre’a Pound led FIU with 16 points and nine rebounds, while Marita Daydova added a double-double with 10 points and 11 boards.
UTSA will be back in action on Sunday when it welcomes Florida Atlantic (10-9, 4-4 C-USA) to the Convo for a televised 11 a.m. contest on FOX Sports Networks (FS Southwest in the state of Texas).