SAN ANTONIO – Keaton Wallace scored a season-high 24 points, including 18 in the second half, to lead UTSA to an 87-71 victory over Houston Baptist on Saturday evening at the Convocation Center.
Wallace, the reigning Conference USA Freshman of the Week, led four Roadrunners in double-figures as he knocked down seven field goals, including five 3-pointers, and five free throws. Byron Frohnen tied his career-high with 18 points, while also corralling a team-high eight rebounds. Nick Allen and Deon Lyle each scored 13. The double-figure effort was the fifth straight for Lyle and fourth for Allen.
Freshman David Caraher led HBU (3-7) and all scorers with 30 points (10 of 16 FG), while also grabbing a game-high 16 boards. Ian DuBose (13) and Will Gates Jr. (12) rounded out the Huskies' top scorers.
UTSA (6-5) closed the game shooting 40.6 percent (25 of 62), but just 37.0 percent (6 of 19) from three. HBU shot 40.3 percent (25 of 62) and 316 percent (6 of 19) from beyond the arc. The Huskies won the rebounding battle 43-42, but UTSA outscored the visitors 22-12 off the bench and 13-11 off turnovers.
Giovanni De Nicolao converted a runner in the lane to open the second-half scoring and provide the Birds with their first double-digit lead at 44-33. Three minutes later, the Roadrunners opened the lead to 54-41 on a Wallace three from the right corner.
However, UTSA would go cold over the next 4:30 as HBU trimmed its deficit to 55-50 at the 11:22 mark. Toby Van Ry later made a three from the left corner to give the 'Runners a 64-54, but again the Huskies trimmed their deficit to five points at 64-59 on an Oliver Lynch-Daniels 3-pointer with 6:26 to play in regulation.
After a HBU turnover and a UTSA timeout, the Roadrunners scored on five straight possessions to take a 75-61. Wallace made threes on the first two possessions, then knocked down a free throw and De Nicolao scored in the lane on the next two trips down the floor to complete the 11-2 run.
UTSA would extend its lead to as many as 19 and HBU would get no closer than 12 the rest of the way as the Roadrunners claimed the first meeting between the programs since 1989.
Sluggish shooting through the opening 12 minutes left the Roadrunners up 19-18 at the 7:58 mark. Four minutes later, HBU took a 29-28 lead on Caraher triple from the top of the arc. However, the lead would be short lived a Lyle answered with his second 3-pointer of the night. The Lyle shot sparked an 11-4 UTSA run over the final 3:25, leaving the Roadrunners up 42-33 at the break.
UTSA shot 41 percent in the opening frame, while HBU made 39 percent of its attempts. The Roadrunners took full advantage at the foul line, converting 16 of 19 attempts in the half.
Up next
The Roadrunners return back to the Convocation Center on Saturday, Dec. 16 at 7 p.m. to take on Bethany. The game, which will feature youth jersey and faculty/staff appreciation promotions, will air live in San Antonio on KCWX-TV.