SAN ANTONIO — Jeff Beverly scored a season-high 22 points and UTSA limited I-35 rival Texas State to just 30 percent shooting on its way to a 63-48 victory on Friday night at the Convocation Center.
Beverly went 5-of-8 from the floor, including a pair of 3-pointers, and 10-of-10 at the free-throw line to lead the Roadrunners (2-4), who pushed their all-time series lead over the Bobcats (2-3) to 34-24. Beverly scored 16 points in the second half, including a stretch of 14 consecutive points for the home squad.
UTSA dominated the glass, 48-34, behind 10 boards from reigning Conference USA Freshman of the Week Byron Frohnen, while Lucas O'Brien came off the bench for eight rebounds. The Roadrunners held their opponent to fewer than 50 points for the first time since San Jose State was limited to 49 on March 12, 2013.
Meanwhile, Kavin Gilder-Tilbury scored a season-low 12 points to lead Texas State, which shot 30 percent (18-of-50) from the floor and 4-of-27 (14.8 percent). Gilder-Tilbury came into the contest averaging 20.0 ppg, which ranked second in the Sun Belt Conference.
Texas State controlled the early minutes and the visitors jumped out to a 16-8 lead on Ojai Black's jumper with 10:18 on the clock. However, UTSA then switched to a zone defense and closed the half on a 23-5 run to take the lead for good.
O'Brien helped jumpstart the comeback with seven straight points on a pair of baskets and a 3-pointer. Immanuel King tried to slow the Roadrunners' momentum with a basket, but Austin Karrer drained a trey and Giovanni De Nicolao's spinning layup gave UTSA its first lead, 20-18, with 5:49 remaining in the period.
The Bobcats reclaimed a 21-20 advantage only to watch the Roadrunners score the final 11 points of the half for a 31-21 cushion at intermission.
Frohnen sandwiched a pair of baskets around a 3-pointer from Bola Alade before Karrer and Frohnen each connected twice at the free-throw line for the 10-point lead.
In all, the Roadrunners limited the Bobcats to just 25.8 percent (8-of-31) shooting in the first half, including an 0-of-12 mark from behind the arc. The UTSA defense got big contributions throughout the roster including James Ringholt, who tallied a block, and Mitar Stanojevic, who grabbed a pair of rebounds.
Like they did in the first half, the Bobcats seemed to grab momentum early in the second half. Texas State opened the period with a 7-2 spurt, capped by a dunk from Gilder-Tilbury, to pull within 33-28.
However, the Roadrunners responded with a 24-8 run that included Beverly's run of 14 consecutive points to push the advantage to double digits for good. Frohnen started the run with an old-fashioned three-point play before George Willborn III drove and finished at the rim.
Then came Beverly's stretch that started with four straight free throws. The League City native closed his impressive stretch with a three-point play and Nick Allen and Gino Littles capped the run that gave the home squad a 56-36 lead with four minutes to play.
Texas State never threatened down the stretch and Nick Billingsley put the finishing touches on the Bobcats with a corner three in the final minute of the 63-48 victory.
UTSA will be back in action at 9 p.m. (CT) on Thursday, Dec. 1, when it travels to San Luis Obispo, Calif., to start a three-game road swing with a matchup at Cal Poly (2-3).
