HOUSTON – Deon Lyle scored a UTSA season-high 33 points, which included eight 3-pointers, and the Roadrunners controlled the game from start to finish in a 79-60 victory over Rice in the teams' regular-season finale Saturday evening at Tudor Fieldhouse.
Lyle closed the game 11 of 24 from the field, including 8 of 19 from three, to go along with six rebounds, a block and a steal in 32 minutes on the floor. The junior was joined in double-figures by Keaton Wallace with four 3-poiter and a layup for 14 points along with Giovanni De Nicolao with 11 points on four makes.
UTSA shot 51 percent (29 of 57) for the contest, including 44 percent (15 of 34) from three. It marked the fifth time the Roadrunners have made 15 3-pointers in a game this season.
UTSA closes the regular season with an 18-13 overall record, which is the most wins since the 2011-12 team also won 18 games. Moreover, the Roadrunners 11-7 Conference USA mark is the program's best since joining the league prior to the 2013-14 season.
Rice (7-24, 4-14 C-USA) was paced by Connor Cashaw with 18 points, Najja Hunter with 13 and Ako Adams with 12.
The Roadrunners expanded its 18-point halftime lead to a game-high 25 at 51-26 as Lyle made his second three in a 3:30 stretch and sixth of the game. However, Rice would respond with a 16-6 run, including 13 straight points, to trim the Roadrunners lead to 57-42 with 11:33 to play.
Lyle again came through with two of UTSA's next three buckets from long range, then, after a Wallace triple, scored on a twisting layup for a 68-51 Roadrunner lead. A 3-point play by Rice's Hunter was countered with inside scores by Austin Karrer and Wallace for an 18-point UTSA lead. Rice got no closer than 15 the rest of the way as UTSA won its sixth road game of the season.
UTSA was up 10 just 12 minutes into the game before unleashing a flurry of threes. Eight of the Roadrunners' next nine buckets came from long range, leaving the visitors ahead 38-18 with 2:30 to go before the intermission. Lyle made four during the barrage, while De Nicolao and Wallace connected on two each.
Moments later George Willborn III scored on a fast break layup after a Kendell Ramlal block to put the Roadrunners up 22. Cashaw and Robert Martin each scored in the final 90 seconds of the period to provide the 44-22 halftime score.
Up next
UTSA now turns its attention to the 2018 Conference USA Basketball Championships Presented by Baylor Scott & White Sports Performance Center at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. The Roadrunners will play from the No. 5 seed and will face No. 12 seed UTEP on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. with the winner advancing to face No. 4 seed Marshall on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.
