SAN ANTONIO – The UTSA men's basketball team, under the direction of head coach Steve Henson, held its first practice of the 2018-19 season Tuesday afternoon. The team spent the bulk of the energetic two-and-a-half-hour practice working on defense -- both sets and transition -- in preparation for the upcoming season. The session was the first of 30 in a 43-day span leading to the opening game of the season against St. Edward's on Wed., Nov. 7 at the Convocation Center.
The team enters the 2018-19 season fresh off a 20-win campaign -- the program's most wins since the 2010-11 season. Included in those 20 victories were 12 home wins and the program's second-ever postseason victory with its CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament first round triumph over Lamar.
Reigning Gene Bartow Conference USA Coach of the Year Steve Henson, who enters his third season in the Alamo City, returns eight student-athletes, including four starters, from last season's squad that ranked in the third in C-USA in scoring en route to an 11-7 league mark and the No. 5 seed in the conference tournament. The returners are headlined by 2017-18 Conference USA Freshman of the Year and second team all-conference selection Jhivvan Jackson, along with 2017-18 all-freshman team member Keaton Wallace and veterans Giovanni De Nicolao, Byron Frohnen and Nick Allen.
Seven newcomers will don the UTSA Blue and Orange for the first time in 2018-19, including four freshmen, a sophomore and two transfers. The freshmen class is composed of Texas high school products Tamir Bynum (Lamar HS), Mateo Escheik (Prestonwood Christian Academy) and Austin Timperman (The Woodlands HS), along with Oklahoman Adokiye Iyaye (Oklahoma City/Putnam North HS). Sophomore Christian Plummer joins the team as walk-on out of Coppell HS. Junior college transfer forward Atem Bior (New Mexico Military Institute) is joined by four-year transfer Knox Hellums (Pepperdine) as newcomers to the junior class. Hellums is required to sit out the 2018-19 season due to NCAA transfer policies.
🚨🚨 WE GET TO PRACTICE TODAY!!!🚨🚨#BirdsUp🤙 pic.twitter.com/29ydOA8s0Y
— UTSA Basketball (@UTSAMBB) September 25, 2018
👀 Starting off the first practice of the season with a classic. #BirdsUp pic.twitter.com/KfqRmSmdUF
— UTSA Basketball (@UTSAMBB) September 25, 2018
Closing out practice with a little 🗣 and 🎥 #BirdsUp pic.twitter.com/yngTuqjwVA
— UTSA Basketball (@UTSAMBB) September 25, 2018
Day 1⃣ 🎥#BirdsUp pic.twitter.com/m8pdrlHMZA
— UTSA Basketball (@UTSAMBB) September 26, 2018
SEASON TICKETS
UTSA basketball season tickets are now available for purchase, starting as low as $99.
The Roadrunners' men's schedule features 15 contests at the Convocation Center, including a visit from the Oklahoma Sooners on Monday, Nov. 12. The women open their 16-game home slate on Tuesday, Nov. 6 against Concordia.
Season tickets can be purchased through the UTSA ticket office by clicking the links above or by calling 210-458-UTSA (8872).
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