SAN ANTONIO – The UTSA women's basketball team is set to open up their Conference USA schedule as the Roadrunners host Louisiana Tech on Thursday night. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. (CT) at the Convocation Center.
Fans will have the opportunity to take photos with the UTSA football and women's soccer trophies at the game. Fans will also receive a free UTSA Birds Up t-shirt if they purchase tickets at the ticket link included in this story.
LEADING THE ROADRUNNERS
Junior Jordyn Jenkins leads the team and conference in scoring with 185 points, averaging 20.6 per game. Jenkins also leads the team with 14 steals and 68 rebounds. Redshirt sophomore Elyssa Coleman has done a phenomenal job on defense with a team-high 15 blocks (1.67 per game), while also collecting 56 rebounds. Junior Kyra White leads the Roadrunners with 32 assists, also recording 10 blocks and eight steals. White is ninth in the conference with a 1.38 assist/turnover ratio. Freshman Sidney Love has earned the starting point guard spot in the first nine games, second-most on the team in both assists (21) and points (81).
UTSA is first in the conference with 4.3 blocks per game. The Roadrunners have outperformed their opponents by 347 rebounds to 289 rebounds with a 6.5 rebounding margin.
JINKIES FOR JENKINS
Jordyn Jenkins was named the Conference USA Player of the Week on Monday, Dec. 26, after scoring a career-high 35 points over Houston last week. This is her second consecutive week and third time earning the award this season. The junior forward has led UTSA in scoring in all but one game so far.
Newcomer Jenkins was named to the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Preseason Watch List, the first Roadrunner to earn that honor. The Becky Hammon Award was first given out in 2020 and aims to celebrate those playing in the 26 mid-major conferences.
Jenkins is a transfer from the University of Southern California, where she played the last two seasons. At USC, she led the team offensively in almost every category while starting in 26 of 28 games last season. Jenkins led the Trojans in total points (384/14.8 per game), free throws made (110) and field goals made (134). She had 173 rebounds, the second most on the team. The Kent, Wash., native was named the Pac-12 Most Improved Player, as well as earning All-Pac 12 Honors at the end of the season.
LAST TIME OUT
The Roadrunners last played on Dec. 20 in a nail-biting overtime loss (93-89) to Houston, falling to a 2-7 overall record before conference play kicks off. Although the Cougars exploded in the first quarter to take a 15-point lead early, UTSA battled back and tied the game five times to take the game to overtime for the first time this season.
For the second consecutive game, Jordyn Jenkins led the team as she recorded her second double-double of the season, the seventh of her career. Jenkins notched a career-high 35 points, surpassing her previous single game best of 29 points which she recorded at USC last season. She completed the double-double with 11 rebounds. Three more Roadrunners turned in double-digit scoring games – Elyssa Coleman (15), Kyra White (12) and Alexis Parker (11).
UTSA led the game in field goal percentage (52 percent) and three-point field goal percentage (36 percent), while Houston led in free throw percentage (85 percent). The Roadrunners also led in total rebounds (44), second chance points (17), points in the paint (54) and fast break points (35).
SCOUTING THE LADY TECHSTERS
Louisiana Tech holds a 7-4 record (0-1 in C-USA action) after a 62-54 loss to UTEP in its conference opener. The Lady Techsters were picked to finish second in the preseason C-USA Coaches' Poll. Senior guard Keiunna Walker and junior forward Anna Larr Roberson were both named to the preseason all-conference team. Louisiana Tech ended the 2021-22 season with a 21-12 overall record, falling in the C-USA Championship match against Charlotte, 68-63. The Lady Techsters earned a bid into the WNIT but fell to Houston in the first round, 63-52, to conclude their season.
Louisiana Tech leads the conference with 15.7 assists per game, 35.1 field-goal percentage defense and 56.4 scoring defense. Walker leads the Lady Techsters with 162 points, averaging 14.7 points per game. Sophomore guard Silvia Nativi is the team leader in assists (49) and steals (15), while being fifth in the nation with a 3.27 assist/turnover ratio.
SERIES HISTORY VS LOUISIANA TECH
The Lady Techsters holds a 15-6 advantage over the Roadrunners in the all-times series history. UTSA and Louisiana Tech last played each other on Feb. 19, 2022, when the Roadrunners secured a 59-49 win over the Lady Techsters. Elyssa Coleman led UTSA in the matchup, recording a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
UP NEXT: The Roadrunners will continue conference play as they host UAB on New Year's Eve. Tip-off is set for noon for the Dec. 31 matchup.
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