SAN ANTONIO -- Jhivvan Jackson and Keaton Wallace combined for 49 points to lead UTSA to a 76-70 victory over UAB in Conference USA Bonus Play action on Sunday afternoon at the Convocation Center.
Jackson, a sophomore from Puerto Rico, poured in a game-high 27 points behind a 9-for-20 shooting effort from the floor and a perfect 6-of-6 showing at the free-throw line, and he added seven rebounds and two assists to help lead the Roadrunners snap a three-game losing skid and improve to 16-13 overall and 10-6 in the league.
Wallace scored 22 to become the 17th Roadrunner to surpass 1,000 career points. The sophomore from Dallas shot 8 of 13 from the field, including 4 of 8 from behind the three-point line, and led the team with eight boards and four dimes in helping UTSA complete the regular season home slate with an 11-4 record.
Meanwhile, Giovanni De Nicolao pitched in with 10 points, four rebounds, three assists and a pair of steals for the Roadrunners, who shot 48.3 percent (28-58) and made 11 of 12 at the charity stripe.
Lewis Sullivan led three Blazers in double figures with 18 points to go along with nine rebounds, while Zack Bryant (15) and Makhtar Gueye (11) also reached double digits for UAB, which fell to 17-13 and 9-8.
Jackson connected twice from long distance to help stake UTSA to a 12-4 lead through the first 3:19.
UTSA made 12 of its first 15 attempts from the field, including 4 of 6 from beyond the arc, in eventually building a 28-17 advantage with a little more than nine minutes left in the half.
After UAB cut the deficit to four on a Bryant 3-pointer, Wallace reached 1,000 career points on a trey from the wing late in the opening stanza. Jackson, who scored 13 in the first 20 minutes, followed with his third three of the day to help provide the home team with a 36-26 halftime lead.
Atem Bior's put-back and Jackson's jumper from the right elbow pushed the advantage to 14 early in the second before the Blazers cut the deficit in half with seven unanswered points.
UTSA pushed the lead back out to double digits before a 9-0 Blazers run capped by back-to-back 3-pointers from the left wing by Sullivan pulled UAB to within 55-51 midway through the half.
With less than three minutes to play, Bryant was fouled and made both free throws to trim UTSA's lead to 70-65. Gueye then was fouled after an offensive rebound and converted both to make it a one-possession game with just under a minute remaining.
The Roadrunners answered at the other end, as Wallace drove baseline and found Frohnen open underneath the basket to push the lead to 72-67 with 32 seconds left.
Bryant was fouled at the other end with 25.9 ticks on the clock and UAB's guard made 1 of 2 at the line.
Forced to foul, the Blazers hacked Jackson in the backcourt with 23.6 seconds showing. He swished both freebies to push the lead to 74-68.
UAB missed a long three from left wing with less than 10 seconds left and UTSA secured the rebound and the win, as Jackson was sent to the line, where he made both, before a late basket by the Blazers provided the final margin.
The Roadrunners will travel to Bowling Green, Ky., to face WKU (18-12, 11-6) on Wednesday, March 6. Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. and the game will air on beIN SPORTS and Ticket 760.
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