SAN ANTONIO – UTSA dropped Saturday afternoon's contest to the Western Kentucky, 74-64 despite outscoring the Hilltoppers 44-36 in the second half.
UTSA (7-9, 1-4 C-USA) wasn't able to overcome a rough first half performance that saw the Roadrunners convert just six field goals and shoot 25%. Western Kentucky (9-6, 1-3 C-USA) rode a strong first half performance to its first league win of the season, snapping a five-game losing streak. The win was also the team's first since head coach Rick Stansbury came down with an illness.
The Roadrunners had five players score in double-figures, the second time this season. Leading the way was John Buggs III who, coming off of a buzzer beating three, had 15 points and three triples. It was the fourth straight game Buggs has hit at least three triples and the eighth time this season he'd done so. Sophomore Josh Farmer had a strong performance off the bench as he poured in 13 points to go along with six rebounds. Japhet Medor chipped in 12 points, three rebounds and three assists as the Wellington, Fla. native led the team in assists yet again. DJ Richards and Jacob Germany each had 11 points while Germany had a team-high seven rebounds.
The Rundown
UTSA struggled in the first half as the length of Hilltopper Jamarian Sharp forced a lot of contested looks in the first half. Western Kentucky was able to claim a 9-4 lead at the under-16 timeout, limiting UTSA to just two baskets in the first six minutes. The Roadrunners would chip away at the lead and eventually pull within one, going down 18-17 at the 8:37 mark. From there, the Hilltoppers went on a 16-0 run to pull ahead 34-17 with a minute and a half left in the half. At the break, WKU held an 18-point lead, 38-20.
Within the first five minutes of the second half, Western Kentucky was able to push its lead to the largest of the afternoon, going up 19 at 49-30. From there, UTSA began chipping away at the double-digit deficit. It wasn't until the under-four timeout that the Roadrunners cut it to nine, putting the score at 64-55 with 3:53 to go. The Hilltoppers stiffened up though, not allowing UTSA to come within six and eventually going on to win 74-64.
Stat of the Game
The biggest factor in today's contest was points off turnovers. The Hilltoppers converted 17 UTSA turnovers into 25 points. On the flip side, UTSA forced 10 WKU turnovers but was only able to score three points as a result.
Up Next
After its two-game homestand against MTSU and WKU, UTSA will be back on the road as it travels to UTEP for a Wednesday night matchup with the Miners. Wednesday's game on January 11 will tip at 8 p.m., will be streamed on ESPN+ and will be broadcast on Ticket 760 AM.
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