SAN ANTONIO – Florida Atlantic's Gerdarius Troutman sank a 3-pointer with nine seconds showing on the clock and two free throws in the final seconds to carry the Owls to a 73-69 win over UTSA at the Convocation Center Saturday afternoon.
Troutman scored 19 points, including 15 via 3-pointers, to lead four FAU (8-9, 2-3 C-USA) players in double-figures. Roald Delph scored 15, Justin Massey 14 and Jailyn Ingram 13.
Jhivvan Jackson crossed the 20-point threshold for the 10th time in 19 games as he poured in a game-high 28 points, including 12 of UTSA's final 14. George Willborn III joined Jackson in double-figures with 11 points – all of which were scored in the first half.
The Roadrunners (9-10, 2-4 C-USA) limited FAU to 35 percent shooting, but were only able to make 37 percent of their own shots.
The second half featured four ties and five lead changes over the first 12 minutes with FAU taking control on the scoreboard with consecutive threes from Troutman and Massey for a 59-53 advantage at the 7:23 mark. UTSA tied the score four minutes later with an 8-3 run that featured four at the line by Jackson and two by Keaton Wallace.
Minutes later FAU took a 64-62 lead with three free throws from Delph. Jackson answered with a score in the paint off a Giovanni De Nicolao assist, but Delph immediately scored inside to keep the Owls up three with 2:06 to go. Jackson then drilled a three on the right wing, which was again answered by Delph in the paint. However, the next time down the floor, Jackson drained his fourth 3-pointer of the game to give the Roadrunners a 69-68 lead with 81 seconds to play.
The teams traded a pair of empty possessions before Troutman made the go-ahead three with nine seconds to play. De Nicolao turned the ball over on UTSA's next possession and Troutman closed the game with two at the line for the 73-69 final.
FAU jumped out to a 20-10 lead eight minutes into the game, but the Roadrunners countered with a 12-2 run over the ensuing 4:13 to knot the game at 22. Jackson then gave UTSA its first lead of the afternoon with a free throw at the 6:59 mark. FAU briefly regained a 25-23 advantage on a Troutman three, but Austin Karrer made a pair of 3-pointers of his own as part of a 10-3 UTSA run that pushed the home squad ahead by five with two minutes to go before the half. The Owls answered with the game's next five points to tie the game for the fifth time at 33; however, Jackson gave the Roadrunners a 36-33 halftime lead with a three from the left corner.
UTSA limited FAU to a mere 29.0 shooting percentage from the floor over the opening 20 minutes, but the Owls were able to keep pace thanks to 11 free throws. The Roadrunners made 41 percent of their shots in the stanza and outscored FAU 12-2 in the paint with six of those coming from Willborn III.
Up next
The Roadrunners close their three-game home stand on Saturday, Jan. 20 as in-state rival UTEP comes to the Alamo City. Tipoff from the Convocation Center is set for 7:30 p.m. and will be televised in San Antonio on KMYS-CW35.
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