SAN ANTONIO — UTSA picked up its first-ever win against Southern Miss on Saturday at the Convocation Center with a 47-41 decision.
The Roadrunners (7-12, 3-6 C-USA) forced 21 turnovers and scored 21 points off those miscues, but they played an up-and-down game after holding a nine-point lead coming out of the first quarter but trailing by five at the half.
The Golden Eagles (10-9, 3-5 C-USA), who dropped their third consecutive game, used a 19-3 run to end the second stanza, which included four triples, to take a 27-22 advantage at halftime. The late run came after Southern Miss was held scoreless for a nine-minute span between the opening periods.
Out of the intermission, the Roadrunners held their composure and worked their way from behind to end the third quarter leading 35-34.
The Golden Eagles held their largest lead at the 5:36 mark, 31-22, but a pair of 3-pointers from Mathilde Hergott quickly cut into the lead.
Two minutes later, UTSA trailed by just one and then took a 35-34 lead on a pair of free throws by Dempsey Thornton to end the third frame.
The Roadrunners held on in the final quarter of action and used a 9-0 run to lead by 10 points, 46-36, halfway through the quarter. Southern Miss' final point total was the lowest allowed by UTSA this season.
Hergott paced the Roadrunners with 13 points, which was her third straight game in double figures. She added a pair of steals and one block. Meanwhile, Crystal Chidomere chipped in with 10 points of her own to go along with three steals.
UTSA will hit the road next week for games at Western Kentucky (Feb. 4) and Marshall (Feb. 6).