BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- UAB used a 16-3 run to close the first half and 15-0 run in the opening minutes of the second half to break away from UTSA men's basketball, handing the Roadrunners an 81-70 setback on Saturday night at Bartow Arena.
UTSA (10-9, 4-2 Conference USA) suffered its second consecutive loss during its two-game road swing. UAB (12-7, 4-2 C-USA) used a 16-3 run to close the half with an eight-point lead and after the Roadrunners cut the lead to two out of the break, UAB's 15-0 run stretched the Blazers to a 14-point lead they wouldn't relinquish, taking the lead as high as 20 in the final 10 minutes.
The Roadrunners were led by sophomore guard Keaton Wallace, who notched 33 points, including 18 in the first half on four 3-pointers. Wallace, who entered the game riding a streak of two straight double-doubles, added eight rebounds and one assist.
Sophomore Jhivvan Jackson, the 2017-18 C-USA Freshman of the Year, had 22 points, three rebounds and three assists.
Junior point guard Giovanni De Nicolao had a career-high 14 rebounds, four points and four assists. Senior Nick Allen finished with seven points and five boards.
Six UAB players notched double figures, including each of the starters, led by Jalen Perry's 18 points. Makhtar Gueye had 10 points and 10 rebounds.
UTSA will return to action on Thursday, playing host to Charlotte (4-12, 1-4 C-USA) at 7 p.m. at the Convocation Center. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ and will be available on Ticket 760 AM with the Voice of the Roadrunners, Andy Everett, calling the action.
The Roadrunners roared out of the gate to open, getting a triple from Wallace in the corner to open the scoring after each team traded defensive stops. Wallace added a pair of floaters in the lane, and Allen drilled a trey, giving UTSA a 14-11 lead at the first media timeout.
After the teams traded perfect trips to the free-throw line to even it at 16, Wallace raced off a screen to drill his second 3-pointer of the game from the corner. He then dropped a third triple with a basket in transition, putting UTSA up 22-16 with 10:47 left.
After the second media timeout, Jackson found a window to nail a 28-foot triple, giving UTSA a 25-18 lead. A quick 4-0 run from UAB, which included an offensive board and putback, cut the lead to 25-22 before Wallace sank a floater on a drive from the wing as the shot clock clicked under five seconds.
After a 5-0 run put UAB up 32-27, Wallace cut into the lead with his fourth triple of the game. The Blazers took a 34-30 lead into the final media timeout of the half and extended their run to 16-3, for a 38-30 lead at the half, after a turnover on one end led to a transition basket.
UAB opened the second stanza with two quick baskets before Jackson sank a three from the corner to cut the lead to 42-33. UTSA then got a run-out and a basket from Allen and Jackson followed with a basket in transition to cut the lead to 42-38 at the first media timeout of the second stanza.
UTSA then cut the lead to 42-40 after a basket from Jackson swiped the ball on one end and took it coast-to-coast. UAB then ripped off a 10-0 run to force a UTSA timeout with the Blazers leading 52-40 with 13:47 left. The run stretched to 15-0 after a triple before UTSA answered with a jumper from Adokie Iyaye.
The UAB lead ballooned to 20 in the final 10 minutes as the Blazers were able to finish off the result. A 13-3 run from UTSA cut the lead to 68-58, which included triples from Wallace and Jackson, but UAB answered by making nine of its next 11 shots.
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