SAN ANTONIO — Christian Wilson scored a game-high 27 points, but WKU went on a 27-3 run in the first half to take control en route to an 83-71 win over UTSA on Thursday night in the Convocation Center.
Wilson went 10-of-16 from the floor and tied a career-high with seven assists for the Roadrunners (4-19, 2-8 C-USA). Ryan Bowie scored all 18 of his points in the second half, while James Ringholt added a career-best 13 points. UTSA shot 50 percent in the second half and forced 18 turnovers in the contest.
Meanwhile, Aaron Cosby used an 11-of-12 effort at the free-throw line to finish with 21 points to pace the Hilltoppers (12-11, 4-6 C-USA). Justin Johnson and Fredrick Edmond added 14 and 13 points, respectively.
The Roadrunners started out on fire by hitting four of their first five shots, including a pair of 3-pointers from Ringholt. The hot start helped the home squad get off to a 10-6 before the Hilltoppers went on their game-changing run.
The 27-3 run turned the four-point deficit into a 33-13 lead for WKU, who benefitted from cold shooting by the Roadrunners. In all, the Hilltoppers held UTSA without a field goal for nearly 12 minutes, a stretch that ended on Ringholt’s third trey of the half.
Following the triple, Wilson closed the half with a jumper in the paint, but WKU held a 42-22 halftime advantage.
Bowie scored the first seven points of the second half for the Roadrunners, but the Hilltoppers led by as much 54-33 with 14 minutes to play before the home squad began to chip away at the deficit.
Wilson bookended an 8-0 spurt with layups to help slice into the deficit. The baskets were part of a stretch where UTSA hit six of its eight shots to pull within 10, 59-49, with eight minutes to play. The Baton Rouge, La., native scored the last five points in the stretch with an old-fashioned three-point play and a 17-foot jumper.
However, the Roadrunners could not cut the deficit to single digits. UTSA pulled within 10 points two more times, including a 71-61 score after a pair of Lucas O’Brien free throws, but could get no closer.
UTSA threatened to get within single digits in the final minutes, only to see the Hilltoppers hit eight free throws down the stretch to seal the 83-71 victory.
UTSA will be back in action at 1 p.m. on Saturday against Marshall (11-11, 7-2 C-USA).