- Jhivvan Jackson goes for 25 points, 10 rebounds.
- UTSA ties program record with 67 total rebounds.
- Roadrunners clinch berth in second pod of C-USA Bonus Play.
- UTSA hosts Western Kentucky at 2 p.m. on Saturday on CBS Sports Network on Facebook.
SAN ANTONIO – UTSA men's basketball got 25 points and 10 rebounds from Jhivvan Jackson and tied the program record for rebounds in a game, posting a 72-63 win over Marshall, on Thursday night at the Convocation Center.
UTSA (12-14, 6-7 Conference USA) used a strong bench performance and a historic rebounding night to outlast Marshall (12-14, 6-7 C-USA) in a rugged game that saw both teams shoot 33.3 percent or under.
The Roadrunners tied the program record for rebounds in a single game, grabbing 67 boards. It marked the most for UTSA since grabbing 67 boards in a win over Ottawa in 2017. It tied Texas Southern and Eastern Washington for the second-most rebounds by a single team in 2019-20, just shy of the NCAA leader Utah's 68 rebounds in a win over Texas Southern on Nov. 8.
UTSA also grabbed 27 offensive rebounds, which marked the most for the Roadrunners in program history, with immediate records available back to the 2004-05 season. UTSA held a 67-44 margin on the glass and a 27-11 lead in offensive rebounds.
With the win and a UTEP loss, UTSA clinched a berth in the second pod of C-USA Bonus Play, securing UTSA's spot in the 5-10 spot in the league standings.
The Roadrunners shot just 30 percent from the field and 11.5 percent from 3-point range, its worst shooting outing since No. 17/19 Utah State held UTSA to 28.6 percent from the field on Nov. 18.
UTSA owned a 26-14 margin in bench points and held a 17-9 mark in second-chance points.
Jackson, a junior guard out of Puerto Rico, had 25 points and 10 rebounds to earn his fourth double-double of the year and the fifth of his career.
Keaton Wallace chipped in 13 points, with five rebounds and two assists, while UTSA got big lifts from senior Atem Bior (nine points, 10 rebounds), freshman Makani Whiteside (six points, career-high seven rebounds) and junior forward Luka Barisic (nine points, five boards).
Senior forward Byron Frohnen made his UTSA-record 126th consecutive start and turned in four points and nine rebounds. Frohnen owns a UTSA program record 871 career rebounds.
Marshall was spurred by Taevion Kinsey, who had a game-best 27 points, including 17 on 7-of-12 shooting in the first half.
UTSA will return to action on Saturday, hosting the preseason favorite to win the conference, Western Kentucky at 2 p.m. The game will be televised live on the CBS Sports Network on Facebook. Fans can also hear the game live on the Roadrunners Sports Network, with Andy Everett – the Voice of the Roadrunners – calling the action live on Ticket 760 AM and goUTSA.com.
Marshall came out hot, making six of its first 13 shots, including four from Kinsey, taking a 14-6 lead at the first media timeout, with UTSA getting all six points from Jackson buckets inside the arc. The Herd answered a 6-0 UTSA run with a pair of buckets, including a triple from Mikel Beyers, to take a 19-12 lead into the second media break.
Barisic added five points and Jackson reached double figures after his floater off the glass gave UTSA its first lead, 24-22. With 6:36 left.
The Roadrunners continued on a run to take a 34-29 lead at the final media break, with UTSA getting big baskets at the rim from Atem Bior and Jacob Germany. Marshall spurted on a 9-0 run to end the half and take a 38-34 lead.
UTSA responded out of the break, going on a 11-0 run to build a seven-point advantage, including a pair of jumpers from Jackson, a runner from Germany and baskets from Bior and Barisic.
After a Thundering Herd bucket, Wallace completed an and-1 to give UTSA a 48-42 lead with just over 12 minutes left.
UTSA answered a Marshall basket to cut the lead to five with two at the rim from Bior, and Makani Whiteside's dribble-drive created a chance for Frohnen at the rim to give UTSA a nine-point lead with just over eight minutes left.
The Roadrunners defense stiffened, holding Marshall without a made bucket in eight straight attempts, adding to a nine-point lead with a pair of free throws from Adrian Rodriguez with 7:57 remaining.
UTSA took a 62-55 lead into the final media timeout with 3:01 left in regulation. The Herd were able to cut the lead to seven with 1:40 left, as UTSA missed 10 consecutive shots, but an and-1 from Jackson gave UTSA a nine-point margin with 75 seconds left.
- UTSA -