CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – UTSA got a career-high 14 points from DJ Richards in just his second collegiate game, but Texas A&M-Corpus Christi had a 13-point second- half run that turned the tide of the game, leading to a 75-55 Islander win at the Dugan Wellness Center on Friday night.
UTSA (1-1) had its three-point halftime lead erased early in the second half as the two teams were knotted at 36 at the under-16 media timeout. With about 12 minutes left in the second half, the Islanders (1-1) uncorked a 13-0 run to take control of the game and advance to a 20-point win.
Outside of Richards' career night, the Roadrunners got nine apiece from Japhet Medor and Jacob Germany who went to the charity stripe eight times each. Richards and Josh Farmer each gathered five boards to lead the team while Medor and Czumbel both dished out three assists. Junior wing Isaiah Addo-Ankrah had a career-high three steals on the evening while three different Roadrunners recorded a block.
The Rundown
Jacob Germany kicked off the scoring in the first minute of action, hitting a turnaround left-handed push shot to put UTSA up 2-0. The Islanders responded with a 9-0 run to take a seven-point lead heading into the first media timeout. The Roadrunners used a couple three pointers and free throws to pull closer, heading into the under-12 timeout down 15-11. UTSA closed the first half on a 17-10 run to take a three-point, 28-25, lead into halftime. Germany, Richards and Addo-Ankrah each had six to lead the way at the halfway point. Each team shot in the 30 percent range during the first half.
UTSA pushed their second-half lead to its largest of the game, going up eight after John Buggs III buried a triple off of an Islander turnover, taking a 36-28 lead. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi returned the favor, ripping off an 8-0 run of its own to knot things up as the game went to the under-16 media timeout. The two teams traded baskets, finding themselves again tied at 41. From that point, TAMU-CC rattled off a 13-1 run that ultimately decided the game as the Roadrunners were unable to overcome the second-half momentum the Islanders built.
Stat of the Game
The Roadrunners were outscored 34-18 in the paint by the Islanders and 16-4 on fastbreak points. Those easier baskets proved to make up most of the difference in the evening's ball game.
Up Next
After its first road test of the season, UTSA will return to the Convocation Center on Monday, Nov. 14, to host the St. Mary's Rattlers at 7 p.m. in a battle between two San Antonio schools. The game is scheduled to tip off at 7 p.m. and will be streamed on CUSA.tv and broadcast on Ticket 760 AM.
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