SAN ANTONIO – The Convocation Center will add another first to its history this Thursday night as the UTSA men's basketball program will welcome the first-ever ranked opponent in program history to the Convo.
UTSA will host No. 24 Florida Atlantic on January 19 in the school's first game against a ranked opponent since 2019 when it faced No. 17 Utah State on the road. Thursday night's game is scheduled to tip off at 7 p.m., will be streamed on ESPN+ and will be broadcast on Ticket 760 AM.
The Roadrunners (7-12, 1-7) dropped their previous contest on Monday against Rice in overtime, 81-88. Monday's game featured a triple-double and two 30-point scorers between the two teams as UTSA fell to 0-2 in overtime games this season. No. 24 Florida Atlantic (17-1, 7-0 C-USA) has won 16 in a row, winning at Florida, sweeping both FIU and North Texas, downing UAB and winning at Western Kentucky along the way.
UTSA is 1-17 all-time against ranked opponents with the lone win coming in 1994 when the Roadrunners went to Tempe, Ariz. and knocked off No. 13 Arizona State, 87-85, in overtime. The Roadrunners have hosted a ranked team once before, in the program's inaugural game in 1981. That game was against No. 18 Arkansas and was held at Hemisfair Arena. UTSA fell to the Razorbacks, 42-71.
Leading the Roadrunners
UTSA is led on offense by a quartet of double-digit scorers through 19 games of action. Leading the way is JUCO transfer Japhet Medor who churns out a team-high 13.7 points per game. Medor not only leads the team in scoring but also in assists (72) and steals (26) while pulling down 3.5 boards per contest – the third most by any Roadrunner. Medor has three 20+ point outings this season and scored a career-high 30 points against Rice on 1/16. Medor leads C-USA in free throws made and free throws attempted.
Flanking Medor in the backcourt is fellow JUCO newcomer guard John Buggs III. Buggs chips in 11.2 points per game and has scored in double-figures in eight of his last nine games. Through 19 games, Buggs is shooting a team-high 39.8 percent from downtown which is the fourth highest in C-USA. Buggs has two 20+ point outings this year and hit a buzzer-beating three against MTSU on Jan. 5. Freshman DJ Richards also averages double-digit points as the rookie has upped his average to 10.5 points per game. Richards, a two-time C-USA Freshman of the Week (D12, D19), is shooting the three ball at a 38.9% clip, the second-best on the team behind Buggs. Richards is second on the team in rebounding, pulling in 4.5 boards a game.
Senior stalwart Jacob Germany is the final double-digit scorer and averages 11.4 points per game. The fourth-year Roadrunner out of Kingston, Okla. is pulling in 7.5 rebounds per contest too, the third-most by any player in C-USA. Germany, a 2021-22 Conference USA All-Conference Honorable Mention, adds 12 total blocks to the team.
Overall, the Roadrunners are shooting 40.5 percent as a team from the field and holding foes to 44.5 percent. UTSA averages 68.2 points, 34.3 rebounds, 10.8 assists, 3.8 steals and 2.6 blocks per game as a team.
Scouting Florida Atlantic
No. 24 FAU is led by its bench which is ranked as the 15th best by KenPom. Three of the Owls' top four scorers come off the bench, including its top two players. Sophomore guard Alijah Martin boasts a team-high 12.9 points per contest and he also hauls in 5.1 rebounds per game, the second-most on the team.
Martin's backcourt mate off the bench is Johnell Davis. Davis had 36 points earlier this season against the preseason C-USA favorite UAB and chips in 12.2 points on average. Big man Vlad Goldin leads the team in rebounding (6.1) and blocks (17) while averaging 10.3 points a game.
Starting guards Bryan Greenlee and Jalen Gaffney each have 42 assists to lead the Owls. While the quartet of Greenlee (19), Martin (18), Davis (18) and Nick Boyd (17) lead the team in steals.
Overall, the Owls are shooting 47.3 percent as a team from the field and holding foes to 40.8 percent. Florida Atlantic averages 77.7 points, 39.1 rebounds, 15.4 assists, 7.2 steals and 2.3 blocks per game as a team.
Series History
Thursday night's contest between UTSA and Florida Atlantic will be the 15th all-time meeting between the future AAC schools. FAU has won three of the last five games against UTSA and the Owls hold the all-time series advantage, 8-6. UTSA is 5-3 against Florida Atlantic in games played in San Antonio. The Roadrunners are 4-5 against FAU under Steve Henson.
Up Next
Following the contest against top-25 Florida Atlantic, UTSA will turn its attention to FIU. The Panthers, like the Owls, will be making the trip from Florida to play the Roadrunners in the Convo this weekend on Saturday, January 21. Saturday's game is scheduled to tip off at 3 p.m., will be streamed on ESPN+ and will be broadcast on Ticket 760 AM.
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