SAN ANTONIO — UTSA gave up a four-point halftime lead and fell by a score of 64-54 to Charlotte on Thursday night at the Convocation Center.
The Roadrunners (8-18, 4-12 C-USA) dropped their fourth consecutive contest and were held to a 35.3 percent (24-of-68) shooting percentage. For the second straight game, UTSA was held to one 3-pointer, as it went 1-for-11 behind the arc.
Akunna Elonu and Tesha Smith each went for a double-double. Elonu netted a team-high 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, while Smith chipped in with 15 points and 10 boards.
Thirty-one of the Roadrunners’ 54 points came from its bench and they outrebounded the 49ers, 40-34.
UTSA led 30-26 at the half but Charlotte (17-9, 10-5 C-USA) opened the third quarter on a 7-2 run to lead the Roadrunners. The 49ers led by as many as 10 with 2:44 left in the third and never looked back.
In the fourth quarter, UTSA rallied to tie the score at 54 with 2:15 remaining but went cold as Charlotte went 8-for-8 at the line with jumper to account for its final 10 points of the game.
Charlotte fired 40 percent (22-of-55) from the field and were 17-of-24 from the line. The 49ers had four players reach double figures with Alexis Alexander filling the stat sheet with 18 points, 12 rebounds, three steals, two blocks and an assist.
UTSA will return to action on Saturday when it hosts Old Dominion at 2 p.m. for Senior Day.