SAN ANTONIO – The UTSA men's basketball team will be back on the road this weekend as it prepares for a two-game road trip. The First stop on the weekend trip will be in Bowling Green, Ky. as UTSA will meet Western Kentucky on Thursday evening. Thursday night's game is scheduled to tip at 7 p.m., will be streamed on ESPN+ and will be broadcast on Ticket 760 AM.
The Roadrunners (7-16, 1-11) have dropped their last eight contests, all to Conference USA opponents. Western Kentucky (11-11, 3-8 C-USA), who defeated UTSA in the teams' previous contest, has lost five straight after not having their head coach Rick Stansbury for a long stretch due to illness.
Leading the Roadrunners
UTSA is led on offense by a quartet of double-digit scorers through 23 games of action. Leading the way is JUCO transfer Japhet Medor who churns out a team-high 13.0 points per game. Medor not only leads the team in scoring but also in assists (73) 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 attempted.
Flanking Medor in the backcourt is fellow JUCO newcomer guard John Buggs III. Buggs chips in 10.8 points per game and he has two 20+ point outings this year. Buggs hit a buzzer-beating three against Middle Tennessee on Jan. 5 to give the Roadrunners its lone C-USA victory. Freshman DJ Richards also averages double-digit points as the rookie has upped his average to 10.7 points per game. Richards, a two-time C-USA Freshman of the Week (D12, D19), is shooting the three ball at a 36.9% clip which is the second-best best on the team to Buggs who shoots 38.9%. Richards is second on the team in rebounding, pulling in 4.7 boards a game.
Senior stalwart Jacob Germany is the final double-digit scorer and averages 12.0 points per game. The fourth-year Roadrunner out of Kingston, Okla. is pulling in 7.9 rebounds per contest too, the third-most by any player in C-USA. Germany, a 2021-22 Conference USA All-Conference Honorable Mention, adds a team-high 14 total blocks to the mix. Germany has six double-doubles this season.
Overall, the Roadrunners are shooting 39.9 percent as a team from the field and holding foes to 44.6 percent. UTSA averages 67.2 points, 34.9 rebounds, 10.8 assists, 3.6 steals and 2.3 blocks per game as a team.
Scouting Western Kentucky
Western Kentucky is led by 2021-22 C-USA first-teamer Dayvion McKnight who averages the fifth most points in the conference with 17.2. McKnight has made 137 field goals, the most of anyone in C-USA and is shooting 44.8% from the field.
Not only does McKnight lead the team in scoring, but the junior also has the most assists on the team with 85 and the most steals with 41.
Supporting McKnight are two 6-8 forwards. Emmanuel Akot, a Boise State transfer, pours in 10.3 points a game while Maryland transfer Jairus Hamilton chips in 10.1 points per contest. In the center of the offense is 7-5 big man Jamarion Sharp. Sharp leads the team in rebounding with 7.3 per contest and leads the country in blocks (85), averaging 4.1 by himself a game.
Overall, the Hilltoppers are shooting 44.5 percent as a team from the field and holding foes to 41.3 percent. WKU averages 72.7 points, 34.5 rebounds, 13.6 assists, 6.2 steals and 5.3 blocks per game as a team.
Series History
Thursday's game between the Roadrunners and the Hilltoppers will be the 12th meeting between the two schools all-time. The Hilltoppers hold the advantage, owning an 8-3 record against UTSA. Western Kentucky has won four straight games and three of the last six meetings have gone to overtime. In games played in Bowling Green, UTSA is 1-3 versus WKU. The Roadrunners are 3-6 against WKU under Coach Henson.
Up Next
Following its Thursday night road contest, UTSA will move on to Murfreesboro, Tenn. for a meeting with Middle Tennessee this Saturday, February 4. Saturday's game is scheduled to tip at 5 p.m., will be streamed on ESPN+ and will be broadcast on Ticket 760 AM.
- UTSA -
