SAN ANTONIO -- Jhivvan Jackson poured in 37 points and UTSA set a program record with 18 made 3-pointers, leading the Roadrunners to an 89-73 win over league front-runner Louisiana Tech on Thursday night at the Convocation Center.
UTSA (7-9, 1-2 Conference USA) routed the league's top defensive team, Louisiana Tech (11-4, 2-1 C-USA) using a 53-point first half and a strong game from Jackson, the nation's No. 2 scorer. J
Jackson had 37 points, on 11-of-23 shooting, including eight 3-pointers, with six assists and five rebounds. He opened the game without a point for the first 11 minutes, before exploding for 18 over the final nine minutes of the first half. He upped his average to 26.0 points per game, just shy of the NCAA's current leader, Marquette senior guard Markus Howard (26.8 points per game).
Jhivvan Jackson went for 37 points in a 89-73 win over Louisiana Tech on Thursday night at The Convo!#BirdsUp 🤙 | #RunWithUs
— UTSA Basketball (@UTSAMBB) January 10, 2020
🔗 https://t.co/CgM1XpbiUD pic.twitter.com/fCeKLdWDhL
UTSA went 18 of 32 from 3-point range, eclipsing the previous program record of 17 made 3-pointers, done three times, including most recently vs. Jarvis Christian.
The Roadrunners were boosted by a career-high 16-point outing from junior forward Luka Barisic. A 6-foot-10 native of Croatia, Barisic drilled 4-of-5 3-pointers, grabbing three rebounds with three assists in 26 minutes.
UTSA junior guard Keaton Wallace – who combined with Jackson make the NCAA's highest scoring duo – added 13 points, six rebounds and three assists.
The Roadrunners finished the game shooting 49.2 percent from the field and 56.3 percent from range. UTSA held LA Tech to 48.1 percent shooting, with the Bulldogs going 6 of 17 from distance. UTSA – C-USA top rebounding team – held a 39-32 margin in rebounding.
UTSA will return to action on Saturday, playing host to Southern Miss (4-11, 0-2 C-USA) at 3 p.m. at the Convocation Center. The game will be televised live on ESPN+ and will be broadcast live on Ticket 760 AM and goUTSA.com. with the Voice of the Roadrunners, Andy Everett, calling the action.
After DaQuan Bracey opened the game up with a bucket at the rim, Frohnen answered with a pair. Louisiana Tech responded with a three-point play for an early lead before Barisic drilled a 3-pointer from the wing. Bracey answered with a bucket before Wallace drilled his first trey. Czumbel gave UTSA an 11-6 lead at the first media break with a corner triple.
Frohnen scored the next four for the Roadrunners before Bracey connected on a runner in the lane to cut the lead to 16-8. UTSA's run continued to 19-4 for a 24-10 lead with 11:25 left in the first, with UTSA getting a pair of corner treys from Hellums and a transition lay-in from freshman center Jacob Germany.
After LA Tech's Cobe Williams sank a runner and added a triple, Jackson hit his first three of the game and added a foot-on-the-line jumper to take the lead to 29-15. After a pair of Jackson free throws from a technical foul called on JaColby Pemberton, LA Tech got a bucket to cut the lead to 31-17. Jackson followed with a contact bucket at the rim, which was answered on the other end by Bracey. Barisic took the UTSA lead to 36-19 with his second 3-pointer of the game at the under eight-minute media timeout.
Wallace's contact bucket beat the shot clock at took the lead to 38-21 before a defensive stop led to a Wallace triple. Germany's alley-oop gave UTSA a 22-point lead and Jackson took it to 46-21 with a three, giving UTSA a 10-0 run. A pair of Jackson triples took the halftime lead to 53-25, with Jackson owning a game-best 18.
Wallace opened the half with a 3-pointer and Frohnen answered a LA Tech bucket with a floater in the lane. After a Jackson free throw, the Bulldogs drilled buckets on three straight trips to force a timeout from UTSA with a 59-36 lead at 17:11 left in regulation. The run continued to 9-0 at the first media timeout, with the Bulldogs cutting the lead to 59-39.
LA Tech cut the lead to 18 – taking the run to 11-0 – before Barisic drilled a deep triple to give UTSA a 62-41 lead. Jackson gave UTSA a 64-44 lead with a deep mid-range jumper but LA Tech answered after a technical foul – the third of the game. LA Tech used a pair of baskets to cut the lead to 64-48 with 11:58 left in regulation. On consecutive trips down the floor, Jackson drilled 3-pointers to give UTSA a 70-48 lead and Wallace stretched it to 24 with a tough bucket in the paint.
A quick 6-0 LA Tech run was answered by Jackson's seventh triple, giving UTSA a 75-54 lead at the third media break. UTSA got the lead to 80-57 after a pair of Jackson free throws as the clocked ticked under five minutes. After three straight LA Tech buckets, Barisic drilled a mid-range jumper and then hit his fourth 3-pointer.
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