BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – The UTSA women's basketball team dropped an 81-70 decision to WKU on Sunday at E.A. Diddle Arena.
Four Roadrunners scored in double digits, but it wasn't enough as the Lady Toppers outscored UTSA 46-38 in the second half.
WKU scored first until Elyssa Coleman answered with a layup to tie the game 2-2 within the first minute of the game. The Lady Toppers made a 3-pointer to regain the lead, 5-2, with 8:41 remaining. Hailey Atwood brought the Roadrunners within one (5-4) before another WKU basket. Queen Ulabo made back-to-back shots to start a 7-0 run and take the lead, 13-9, at the 6:12 mark. The Lady Toppers hit a 5-0 run to tie the game 13-13 with 5:09 remaining. Elena Blanding hit a free throw to regain the lead (14-13), then both teams hit a scoring drought until a 3-pointer from Charlene Mass at 2:28 put the Roadrunners up by four, 17-13. WKU closed the gap to two with 23 seconds left as UTSA led 17-15 at the end of the first.
The Roadrunners opened the second on a 4-2 run to extend the lead to four, 21-17. The Lady Toppers went on a 6-2 scoring surge to tie the game 23-23 with 6:22 remaining. Back-to-back shots from Jadyn Pimentel and Deborah Nwakamma put the Roadrunners back on top (28-23) until WKU hit a 10-0 run to lead 33-23 at the 1:09 mark. Free throws from Yuliyana Valcheva and Lapraisjah Johnson closed the gap to one, 33-32 with 21 seconds left, but a final layup from the Lady Toppers made it a three-point game (35-23) at the half.
Coming out of the locker room, Pimentel made a layup 10 seconds in to trail by one, 35-34. WKU hit a 3-pointer to push the lead to four, 38-34, but the Roadrunners rallied and went on a 14-2 run to lead 48-40 with 4:01 remaining. The Lady Toppers then hit a 9-4 scoring surge to bridge the gap to four, 52-48 at the 2:30 mark. Two free throws from Pimentel extended the lead to six until WKU closed out the quarter on a 7-0 run to lead 55-54.
In the final 10 minutes, UTSA started on a 5-3 run to regain the lead, 59-58, before the Lady Toppers hit momentum and went on a 12-0 run to lead 70-50 with 4:36 on the clock. The Roadrunners tried to fight back as each team scored 11 points each, but ran out of time as WKU clinched the game.
The Roadrunners return to action on Thursday when they host Southern Miss att 6 p.m.
Notes
- UTSA is now 5-18 overall and 2-10 in conference
- Starters: Elyssa Coleman, Hailey Atwood, Jadyn Pimentel, Queen Ulabo, Chantel Govan
- Four Roadrunners scored in double digits: Elyssa Coleman (10), Hailey Atwood (11), Queen Ulabo (12), Yuliyana Valcheva (10)
- Pimentel led the team in rebounds with seven
-UTSA-