HUNTSVILLE – UTSA used a 31-8 second-half run to erase a four-point deficit and balloon its lead to as many as 19 as the Roadrunners downed Sam Houston State 89-76 in a hurricane relief exhibition game Sunday evening in Huntsville.
UTSA freshman Keaton Wallace led all scorers with 22 points on 6-of-7 from deep and 4-of-4 at the free-throw line. Joining Wallace in double-figures was Giovanni De Nicolao with 14, Deon Lyle with 11 and Jhivvan Jackson with 10. De Nicolao also dished out six assists, while George Willborn III led the Roadrunners on the glass with seven boards.
The Roadrunners closed the game shooting 50.0 percent (30-of-60) from the floor, including 51.7 percent (15-of-29) from beyond the arc. UTSA controlled the rebounding battle 37-33, while also outscoring the Bearkats 28-20 in the paint.
Josh Delaney led four Bearkats in double-digits with 20 points, making six threes and a pair free throws. SHSU closed the night making 42.1 percent (24-of-57) of its shots, including 11 3-pointers.
Sam Houston State took a 52-48 lead early in the second half before Austin Karrer sparked a 20-7 UTSA run with a monstrous one-handed, put-back dunk. Over the next 3:48 the Roadrunners made five 3-pointers – two each by Jackson and Wallace along with one by Lyle – and scored five more in the paint en route to a 70-59 lead at the 10:18 mark. UTSA continued its run, expanding the point total to 31-8 and its lead to 79-60 with 6:45 to play as Lyle counted another triple, De Nicolao went up-and-under and Wallace made two at the line.
De Nicolao and Nick Allen each hit a three and scored inside to provide the Roadrunners and early 10-0 run before Sam Houston State lit up the scoreboard at the 17:14 mark. The Bearkats surged back and cut the UTSA to a single possession several times, but UTSA continually answered with a bucket to provide separation.
SHSU used a quick 5-0 run via a three from Delaney and two at the free-throw line by John Dewy III to take its first lead of the contest at 32-31 with 6:06 to go before the half. The lead changed hands three times over the remainder of the half as SHSU took a 42-39 edge into the intermission.
The Roadrunners, who started the contest making five of its first seven attempts, shot 46.7 percent (14-of-30) in the opening half, while Sam Houston State was 41.2 percent (14-of-34) from the field. UTSA knocked down seven 3-pointers in the period, including four from Wallace, and SHSU connected on five from deep.
Up next
UTSA hosts Southeastern Oklahoma State in its second and final exhibition contest on Tuesday, Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. inside the Convocation Center. Admission to the game is free of charge courtesy of UTSA Athletics.
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