BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — After the first setback of the year in conference play, UTSA continues a two-game road swing at UAB on Saturday, facing off with the Blazers at 7 p.m. at Bartow Arena.
The game will air on ESPN+ (subscription required). The game also can be heard live on Ticket 760 AM with the pregame show beginning at 6:30 p.m. with the Voice of the Roadrunners, Andy Everett, calling the action. The radio broadcast also can be heard live via the free iHeartRadio app and online at goUTSA.com/mbb_audio.
UTSA Roadrunners (10-8, 4-1 C-USA) at UAB (11-7, 2-3 C-USA)
7 p.m. • Jan. 19, 2019
Bartow Arena • Birmingham, Ala.
Live video: ESPN+ | https://plus.espn.com
Radio: Ticket 760 AM | goUTSA.com/mbb_audio
Series vs. UAB: UAB leads, 3-2
Headlines and Storylines
• The Roadrunners had their seven-game winning streak snapped with the setback at Middle Tennessee on Thursday. UTSA fell behind by as much as 19 in the first half and a furious rally to finish fell just short in a three-point loss.
• UTSA's 4-0 start to conference play was its best in school history.
• A pair of dynamic sophomore scoring guards pace the UTSA offensive attack, in Keaton Wallace and Jhivvan Jackson. Jackson leads the team with 21 points per game – in just 27.3 minutes per contest – while Wallace leads the team with 34 minutes per game and owns 18.2 points per outing.
• After Jackson, the reigning C-USA Freshman of the Year, suffered a season-ending injury late in 2017-18 and missed the first three games of the season, all UTSA losses, he returned on a minutes restriction for the next five outings before being inserted in the starting lineup over the last 10 games. During his last 10 outings, UTSA is 8-2 and Jackson is averaging 23.1 points in 31.7 minutes per game.
• Wallace is riding a streak of two consecutive double-doubles after a 24 points, 10 rebound game on Thursday, including a career-high four steals.
• UTSA senior Byron Frohnen eclipsed the 600-rebound mark on Thursday, while senior Nick Allen became the ninth all-time member of the 500-rebound club.
• UTSA is 10-5 since Jackson returned to the playing rotation.
• Allen is averaging 13.8 points per game in five league games, with Jackson sporting 21.6 points per game and Wallace scoring 18 points per game in C-USA play.
• Steve Henson, the reigning C-USA Coach of the Year, is in his third year at the helm of the Roadrunner and is 44-42 at UTSA.
Scouting the Blazers
• UAB enters the matchup on Saturday winners of four of its last six games. The Blazers boast a 9-1 record at Bartow Arena, with a lone loss to Troy the only blemish.
• Three Blazers average double figures, with Zack Bryant owning 12.5 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. Jalen Perry averages 11.4 points and 4 rebounds per game. Lewis Sullivan paces the team with 6.3 rebounds per game and 11.3 points per outing.
Series History
• UAB leads the series with UTSA, 3-2, including a 2-0 mark in games played in Birmingham.
• UTSA has won the last two meetings.
A win would ...
• Improve UTSA to 12-7 and give the Roadrunners wins in 12 of their last 14 games
• Give UTSA three straight wins over UAB
• Put UTSA to 5-1 in conference play
Jhivvan tabbed c-usa player of the week
• UTSA sophomore guard Jhivvan Jackson has been named Conference USA Player of the Week. A native of Bayamón, Puerto Rico, Jackson led UTSA in scoring during a week that included wins over Rice and previous-league unbeaten North Texas. It extended the winning streak for the Roadrunners to seven and put UTSA at 4-0 in conference play for the first time in 30 years.
• Jackson had a game-best 24 points, with five rebounds, three assists and two steals in 34 minutes on Thursday in a win over Rice. While matching up with a 4-0 UNT squad with first place on the line in C-USA, Jackson sank the game-winning, contested jumper with 1.6 seconds remaining to lift UTSA to a 76-74 win. Jackson finished the win over UNT with a team-leading 17 points, with three assists, two rebounds and two steals. He started the game 0 for 7 before finishing with buckets in six of his final 11 shots.
Jhivvan the microwave
• 2017-18 Conference USA Freshman of the Year Jhivvan Jackson made his return from a season-ending injury a year ago at the Gulf Coast Showcase on Nov. 19-21. The sophomore guard averaged 13.7 points in limited minutes (15.0 mpg) in the three neutral-site contests. Jackson drained nine 3-pointers and dished out five assists to help the Roadrunners to a 1-2 record, including scoring 21 on the strength of five treys to help UTSA to a 76-65 victory over Florida Gulf Coast on the final day of the tournament.
• In UTSA's win at Houston Baptist, Jackson went up to 21 minutes, collecting 21 points on a career-high 11 free throws. Days later in a rivalry matchup with Texas State, Jackson got off to a sluggish start but finished with a flourish, owning a team-high 22 points and connecting on five 3-pointers. In a non-conference win over Mid-America Christian, Jackson poured in 28 points.
• With UTSA off to a sluggish, post-Christmas-break start vs. SE Oklahoma State, Jackson put together career highs in points (32) and rebounds (10) in his first career double-double, earning C-USA Player of the Week accolades. He earned his second player of the week honors after splashing a game-winning vs. previously league-unbeaten UNT.
• Jackson's 40-minute averages are staggering: 30.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.1 assists. He is averaging 0.77 points per minute.
• Jackson is averaging 27.3 minutes, 21 points and 3.5 rebounds per game since returning to the starting lineup. He had a streak of eight straight games with at least 20 points, the second-longest streak in program history, just shy of Derrick Gervin's nine straight in 1984-85. His current streak stands at 20-or-more points in 11 of the last 13 games.
• The second-team all-conference selection set the UTSA freshman scoring record with 534 points and led the team with 18.4 per game. He shot 43.1 percent from the field for the season and tallied three 30-point, 14 20-point and 25 double-figure scoring performances.
Elite guard play
• UTSA's two dynamic sophomore guards, Jhivvan Jackson and Keaton Wallace have shouldered the scoring load in 2018-19. While Wallace has been a fixture in the lineup, with team highs in minutes (33.8) and ranking second in points per game (17.8). Jackson returned from injury to come off the bench in five straight games before making the last 10consecutive starts as his minutes restriction has been lifted.
• Since Jackson's return to the playing rotation on Nov. 19 vs. UC Irvine – the fourth game of the season – Wallace is averaging 19.2 points per game and 5.5 rebounds per outing, with the pair combining for 51 percent of UTSA's scoring punch over the last 15 games.
• In addition to the scoring duo of Jackson and Wallace, junior guard Giovanni De Nicolao is a veteran leading the offensive attack. De Nicolao ranks ninth in UTSA history in games started. De Nicolao is averaging 7.4 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.
Allen more than muscle
• Nick Allen has emerged as a threat from virtually anywhere on the floor, as the Surprise, Ariz., native is averaging 10.1 points and 5.0 rebounds per game to go along with 19 assists through the first 18 contests. The 6-foot-8 forward is third on the team with 223-pointers and he is shooting at a 64-percent clip at the free-throw line.
• He turned in the best outing of his career in a win over Rice, totaling a career-best 20 points, including a career-high four threes, with five rebounds.
• Allen opened the campaign with 15 points and eight rebounds against St. Edward's and he also has scored in double figures against Oklahoma (15), South Dakota State (12), Florida Gulf Coast (13), Bethany (12), SE Oklahoma State (12), UTEP (11) and on the road at UTEP (14).
Wallace emerging as do-everything threat
• Sophomore guard Keaton Wallace has emerged as a steady scoring option for UTSA through the first 18 games this season. The Dallas native ranks second on the team with 18.2 points per game and he has paced the team in points in seven of the 18 contests. Wallace has reached double figures 15 times, including back-to-back 20-point showings against UC Irvine (23) and South Dakota State (21) and has had a career high six 20+ point games in 2018-19.
• Wallace was blistering hot in a win over Mid-America Christian on Dec. 8, setting career highs in points (35), 3-pointers (nine), rebounds (nine) and blocks (three). His nine treys marked the second-most in UTSA single-game history.
• In a matchup with rival Texas State on Dec. 1, Wallace logged a career-high 39 minutes, collecting 19 points.
• In a pair of wins over UTEP to open league play, Wallace posted a game-high 23 points on Jan. 3, with eight rebounds and a career-high four blocks, before going for 16 points and four boards in the win on Jan. 5.
• Wallace earned his first career double-double in a win over North Texas, collecting 11 points and 10 rebounds. He followed that with his second consecutive double-double, collecting 24 points and 10 boards at Middle Tennessee.
• The 6-foot-3 Wallace leads UTSA in blocks (18), a career best, and is the only player under 6-foot-4 in C-USA in the top 10 in blocked shots.
• A 2017-18 Conference USA All-Freshman Team selection, Wallace averaged 11.4 points in 35 games last season.
Trio among the most-used players in school history
• Senior Nick Allen is leaving a large mark on the program over the course of his career. He has played in 117 games and started 87 in his career, ranking eighth in starts and fourth in games played.
• Juniors Byron Frohnen and Giovanni De Nicolao also rank among the tops in program history in starts, checking in ninth.
Maestro runs the point
• Junior point guard Giovanni De Nicolao recorded his first career double-double in his 70th career game as the Italian scored 12 points and grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds against Oklahoma on Nov. 12. De Nicolao made four shots from the field, including two threes, and connected twice from the free-throw line. His 10 rebounds consisted of two offensive boards and eight on the defensive glass.
• De Nicolao posted a season-high 19 points, seven assists and five rebounds in a win over Rice, adding a career-best two blocks and a steal.
• In a win at UTEP, De Nicolao was a well-rounded force with eight rebounds, seven points and three assists.
• De Nicolao is averaging 7.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and a team-high 3.4 assists per game this season.
• In C-USA action, he is posting 8.6 points, 4.4 boards and 4.1 dimes per contest.
Cutch-time free throws
• At the charity stripe when the game is on the line, over the last five minutes and in overtime, Jhivvan Jackson is 13-for-14 and Keaton Wallace is 12-of-13. Jackson has 57 points (3.8 points per final five minutes) and Wallace 55 (3.1 points per final five) over the final five minutes in 2018-19. In their two-year careers, Jackson is 46 of 58 (89 percent) and Wallace is 37 of 44 (84 percent) from the charity stripe in the final five minutes and overtime.
• Junior Atem Bior has gone 8-of-9 at the charity stripe over the last five minutes during the year.
Topping the century mark
• Twice in 2018-19 UTSA has reached 100+ points in a game, with the Roadrunners owning a 41-7 all-time record when reaching the century mark.
• UTSA owns a 104-74 win over Mid-America Christian and a 101-77 win over Bethany College.
• It marks the first time UTSA has topped 100 points twice in a single season since a pair of overtime losses in the 1996-97 season. The last time the Roadrunners topped 100 points twice in a season without the benefit of overtime came during the 1992-93 season.
First off the bench
• UTSA freshman guard Adokiye Iyaye has been the first player off the bench in a team-high nine games in 2018-19.
• A 6-foot-3 guard out of Oklahoma City, Okla., Iyaye has emerged as UTSA's go-to sixth man, averaging 18.9 minutes and 5.6 points per game.
Third season of the Steve Henson era
• The 2018-19 season marks the third of the Steven Henson era at UTSA. Henson, who came to the Alamo City from Lon Kruger's staff at Oklahoma, has guided the Roadrunners to a 44-42overall mark to this point. Under Henson's tutelage, UTSA won a program-best 11 Conference USA contests last season and picked up UTSA's second consecutive Conference USA Tournament win. Moreover, Henson coached Jhivvan Jackson to C-USA Freshman of the Year and Deon Lyle to league Sixth Player of the Year.
• UTSA enters its tilt at UAB winners of 11 of its last 13 games. It marks the second consecutive year that the Roadrunners have posted a sterling winning stretch, claiming seven of nine games in 2017-18.
Defending home court
• Under head coach Steve Henson, UTSA has posted a 28-10 record at the Convocation Center. The Roadrunners went 11-3 at home in 2016-17 and 12-4 in 2017-18.
• In 2018-19, UTSA is 6-3 at The Convo and has won six consecutive games at home.
• Prior to the last two seasons, UTSA last posted consecutive 11-win home seasons when the program went 11-3 in 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11 as members of the Southland Conference.
• The 1991-92 team was the last Roadrunners squad to win more than 12 games at home, finishing 14-1.
Team-first mindset in Atem Bior
• With UTSA missing dynamic scoring threat Jhivvan Jackson early in the year due to injury, the coaching staff turned to junior college transfer Atem Bior as the starting lineup replacement for the first eight games of the year.
• A 6-foot-7, 220-pound native of Bisbane, Australia, Bior averages 6.1 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.
• Bior has played 20.7 minutes per game since Jackson returned to the lineup, making five starts while Jackson worked on a minute-restriction. With Jackson back in the fold, Bior is averaging 6.2 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.
• In his eight starts to open the year, Bior averaged 6.5 points, 5.6 rebounds and 24.5 minutes per game.
• Bior is averaging 11.6 points, 10.1 rebounds and 0.7 blocked shots per 40 minutes played.
• While playing 2017-18 at New Mexico Military Institute, Bior average 13.1 points and 8.7 rebounds, sported 7.2 points and 4.1 rebounds per game at New Mexico Highlands in 2016-17 after redshirting the 2015-16 season at NM Highlands.
Yo, Adrian!
• After suffering a season-ending knee injury in last year's opener, redshirt freshman Adrian Rodriguez is medically cleared for the 2018-19 season.
• Before suffering the injury, the 6-foot-7 forward from Tulsa, Okla., scored 10 points and grabbed eight rebounds in 14 minutes off the bench against East Central.
• The 6-foot-7 big man played 12 minutes against St. Edward's in the season lid-lifter, collecting five rebounds and dishing out a pair of assists. He followed that performance with six points and four boards in 16 minutes against Oklahoma. Rodriguez recorded five points in 10 minutes versus UC Irvine and two points and two boards in the victory over FGCU.
86 straight starts
• Juniors Byron Frohnen and Giovanni De Nicolao are projected to make their 86th consecutive starts on Thursday at Middle Tennessee. The first two signees of head coach Steve Henson in Spring 2016 have started all 86 games of their careers. Frohnen has started at both the small and power forward positions, while De Nicolao has been the stalwart at point guard.
C-USA Bonus play
• Conference USA rolled out an innovative scheduling format for the 2018-19 league contests. The new C-USA schedule format will see the 14 teams play each other once and their travel partner twice in the first seven weeks of the conference season. Following the first 14 league contests, teams will be placed into one of three groups based on their conference standing. The teams will be divided into two groups of five (1-5 and 6-10) and a group of four (11-14). During the final three weeks, teams will play four games (two home/two away) within their respective grouping. Home and away matchups will be determined by the preset formula.
Frohnen on the boards
• Junior forward Byron Frohnen leads UTSA and ranks sixth in Conference USA with 7.4 rebounds per game through the first 18 contests.
• The Las Vegas native has reached double figures on the boards in four games with 10 in the season opener against St. Edward's and 11 at Oklahoma State. In a rivalry tilt vs. Texas State, Frohnen grabbed 12 boards, adding 12 boards vs. Arkansas. Frohnen added a season-best 13 rebounds in a win over UTEP.
• Frohnen's 607 rebounds in 85 career games is seventh on the UTSA career list. He sits behind Bruce Wheatley (1987-90) for sixth (668) in career history.
• Frohnen is the ninth member of the UTSA 500+ rebound club.
755 straight with a trey
• UTSA has made at least one 3-point field goal in each of its last 755 consecutive games, which ranks as the 21st-longest streak in the nation. The last time the Roadrunners failed to connect from long range came on Jan. 5, 1994, in a 91-69 loss to Texas (0-for-6). To put the time frame in perspective: Bill Clinton had not yet completed his first full year as POTUS, Hero by Mariah Carey was on top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, Mrs. Doubtfire was the No. 1 movie in the box office and the Dallas Cowboys were 15 days from winning Super Bowl XXVIII, 30-13, over the Buffalo Bills.
Henson awarded contract extension
• The University of Texas System Board of Regents approved on May 1 a contract extension for UTSA head men's basketball coach Steve Henson that will run through the 2023-24 season.
• The contract extends Henson's original deal an additional three seasons and raises his base salary from $280,000 to $325,000 per year.
Up Next
• The Roadrunners will return to the Convocation Center on Thursday, playing host to Charlotte at 7 p.m. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ and will be broadcast live on Ticket 760 AM.
3-Point Record in 2017-18
• After making just 172 3-pointers all of 2016-17, the 2017-18 Roadrunners set the UTSA single-season team record with 353. The previous record was 272 by the 2011-12 squad.
• The Roadrunners' 10.1 triples per game led Conference USA and ranked 19th in the NCAA.
• UTSA's 353 makes last season ranked fifth on the Conference USA single season list. The conference record is 375 by the 2007-08 Houston Cougars.
• Deon Lyle (who elected to depart the program to pursue a professional career in the Junior Basketball Association after his junior season), Jhivvan Jackson and Keaton Wallace led the Roadrunners from deep with 96, 77 and 74 made triples, respectively. Junior point guard Giovanni De Nicolao made 36 and senior big man Nick Allen stepped out to hit 33 threes, which was 13 more than his first two seasons combined.
• Led by Wallace's 60 3-pointers, UTSA has made 146 threes through the first 18 contests this season, an average of 8.1 per game. Jackson and Wallace rank as the top two players in C-USA in three-point attempts in 2018-19.
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