RUSTON, La. – Giovanni De Nicolao sliced to the basket and scored the winning layup with one second remaining to lift UTSA to a 78-76 win over LA Tech Thursday night at the Thomas Assembly Center.
Here's Giovanni De Nicolao's game-winner for @UTSAMBB, as seen on @WatchStadium! pic.twitter.com/kYJbzVNdBo
— Stadium (@WatchStadium) January 5, 2018
"Giovanni has never been afraid of the moment," said head coach Steve Henson. "We had the ball in Gio's hands on that final possession, and we felt good about that. The play we wanted wasn't there, so Gio went out and made one to win the game."
UTSA is now the first Conference USA team to win back-to-back games at the Bulldogs' Thomas Assembly Center and only the second program to claim victory in the facility since LA Tech joined the league in 2013-14.
UTSA (9-7, 2-1 C-USA) was led by Jhivvan Jackson's 21 points on nine field goals in 28 minutes off the bench. Nick Allen reached double-figures with 14 points, while George Willborn III poured in 12 in just 10 minutes and De Nicolao finished seven to go along with seven rebounds. Byron Frohnen led the Roadrunners on the glass with nine.
Jacobi Boykins scored a game-high 24 to lead LA Tech (9-7, 0-3 C-USA). Amaorie Archibald was the only other Bulldog is double-digits with 10. Joniah White corralled a team-high eight rebounds.
LA Tech overcame its one-point halftime deficit and built as much as a nine-point lead at 58-49 with 11:14 to play. The Roadrunners answered with a 13-2 run over the next 3:48 to take a 62-60 lead on a twisting Willborn III layup that forced a LA Tech timeout.
UTSA later extended its lead to 71-66 at the 2:53 mark on a De Nicolao three from the right wing. However, LA Tech battled back to cut the Roadrunner lead to 74-73 with a Boykins' 3-pointer with 26 seconds to go.
Frohnen was fouled on the ensuing possession and gave UTSA a three-point lead at the line, but it would not hold as Boykins tied the game with 10 seconds left via three free throws after being fouled on a 3-point attempt. De Nicolao then followed with his late-game heroics, lifting the Roadrunners to their second true road win of the season.
With the game tied at 14 after seven minutes of play, LA Tech made threes on three consecutive possessions to take a 23-14 lead at the 11:21 mark. However, UTSA responded with a 14-3 run, including a 10-0 spurt over 121 seconds, that left the Roadrunners up 28-26 and forced a Bulldog timeout. Willborn III sparked the run with a pair at the line, but it was Lyle that made the largest impact as he bookended the 10-0 spurt with threes from the left corner.
The Birds expanded their lead to as many as five a few minutes later, but a 6-0 LA Tech spurt gave the home squad a one-point lead. But the lead would not last as UTSA's Allen drove and scored at the hoop for the final basket of the half to put the Roadrunners in front 37-36.
UTSA shot 46 percent (31 of 67) for the game, while LA Tech made 43 percent (28 of 65) of its shots. The Roadrunners controlled the glass 44-34 and outscored the Bulldogs 38-32 in the paint.
Up next
The Roadrunners continue their two-game C-USA road trip on Saturday, Jan. 6 at Southern Miss. Tipoff from the Golden Eagles' Red Green Coliseum is slated for 4 p.m.
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