SAN ANTONIO – The UTSA women's basketball team returns to the Convocation Center for a pair of home games this week, opening the homestand up against Western Kentucky on Thursday. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. (CT) and streamed on CUSA.tv.
The Roadrunners will celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day, recognizing all women's sports, coaches and staff. UTSA's Title IX office will be recognized during the game as well. Fans will also be able to receive Title IX giveaway items.
LEADING THE ROADRUNNERS
Junior Jordyn Jenkins leads the conference in scoring with 400 points, averaging 20.0 per game. Jenkins also leads the team with 149 rebounds and 29 steals. Redshirt sophomore Elyssa Coleman has done a phenomenal job on defense with a team-high 35 blocks, while also recording 127 rebounds and 182 points (second on the team in both categories). Coleman owns the top single-game blocks in the conference this season, recording a high of six blocks against FIU on Jan. 21.
Junior Kyra White leads the Roadrunners with 85 assists, averaging 4.3 per game. White is sixth in the conference with a 1.51 assist/turnover ratio. Freshman Sidney Love has the second-most assists on the team (40) and third-most points (177). UTSA is first in the conference with a 6.8 rebound margin, outperforming its opponents by 804 rebounds to 667 rebounds.
LAST TIME OUT
The Roadrunners are coming off a 66-63 win over Louisiana Tech in Ruston, La., on Jan. 28, snapping a four-game skid and earning their first road win of the season.
Jordyn Jenkins led the team with 15 points and seven rebounds, while tied for the team lead with two blocks. Elyssa Coleman also recorded two blocks, along with 14 points and six rebounds. Sidney Love was the final Roadrunner to score in double digits, putting up 13 points. Kyra White had a team-high seven assists and three steals.
The Roadrunners shot 50.9 percent from the field, just their third game this season shooting over 50, while the Lady Techsters shot 43.4 percent. UTSA scored more points in the paint (30) than Louisiana Tech (26).
RECORD WATCHING
Jordyn Jenkins put up a career-high 37 points against UTEP on Jan. 11, 2023. The school single-game record is 41 points in a game by Tesha Smith against Florida Atlantic on Feb. 25, 2017. Jenkins currently has 400 total points this season. The program record is 583 points by Tammy Rogers in the 1990-91 season. Jenkins has averaged 20.0 points per game this season. The school record is 20.7 per game by Starlite Williams in 1986-87.
With 297 career wins, head coach Karen Aston is just three wins away from 300 career wins.
JINKIES FOR JENKINS
Jordyn Jenkins has been named the Conference USA Player of the Week three times this season – Nov. 28, Dec. 19, and Dec. 26. Scoring a career-high 37 points against UTEP on Jan. 11, Jenkins owns the conference single-game best this season. She leads the conference in multiple categories – field goal percentage (48.3), field goals (144), points (400) and points per game (20.0). Amongst all Division I schools in Texas, Jenkins is the highest scoring student-athlete.
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 in 2021-22. Jenkins led the Trojans in total points (384/14.8 per game), free throws made (110) and field goals made (134). 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.
SCOUTING THE LADY TOPPERS
Western Kentucky is currently second in the conference standings, holding a 11-9 record (8-3 in C-USA action) after a 66-65 win over Florida Atlantic on Jan. 28. Despite a six-point deficit early in the fourth quarter, the Lady Toppers battled back to win the game with a go-ahead three-point basket by Mya Meredith with 1:28 left. Since the Roadrunners last saw them, the Lady Toppers have won seven of their last eight games.
Western Kentucky leads the conference with 28.4 three-points attempts per game and 12.6 steals per game. Freshman Acacia Hayes leads the Lady Toppers with 209 points, averaging 10.5 per game. Hayes was named the C-USA Freshman of the Week this Monday after a pair of double-digit scoring games against FIU and Florida Atlantic last week. Jaylin Foster is second in the conference with 47 steals and 2.35 steals per game. She leads WKU with 117 rebounds and 10 blocks.
SERIES HISTORY VS WESTERN KENTUCKY
The Lady Toppers hold a 7-2 advantage over the Roadrunners in the all-times series history. UTSA and Western Kentucky last played each other on Jan. 7, 2023, when the Roadrunners fell to the Lady Toppers, 77-69. Queen Ulabo led the Roadrunners with a 14-point showing, also contributing seven rebounds.
UP NEXT: The Roadrunners close out the homestand as they host conference leader Middle Tennessee on Saturday for UTSA's Alumni Game/Pink Out. Tip-off for the matchup is set for 2 p.m. and is set to be streamed on ESPN+.
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