LUBBOCK, Texas — The UTSA women's basketball team dropped a 63-58 decision to Texas Tech on Monday night despite outshooting, outrebounding, and outblocking their Big 12 opponents inside of United Supermarkets Arena.
The Roadrunners (3-2, 0-0 AAC) suffered a loss to the Lady Raiders (5-0, 0-0 Big 12) as the 'Runners shot 45% from the field to TTU's 34%. UTSA logged 13 more rebounds and blocked four more shots than the opposition. Free throws, however, were the difference-maker as Tech went 14-for-21 at the charity stripe, sinking six more freebies than the Roadrunners.
Sophomore Sidney Love scored in double-figures for the third consecutive contest, this time tying for the game lead at 18/ Aiding in the scoring, senior Kyra White dropped 13 points, and freshman Aysia Proctor 10. White also hauled in eight rebounds to match classmate Elyssa Coleman for the game's lead and recorded three assists for the most on the team.
The Lady Raiders scored the first three points of the contest before a White triple sparked a 9-0 run featuring makes by Coleman and Love. Tech responded with a 7-0 surge of their own for a 10-9 Lady Raider lead midway through the period. After trading buckets, Love hit a bank shot ahead of a four-point play for TTU that extended their advantage to four. A trio of Lady Raider free throws followed for a 22-15 edge entering the second.
Tech opened the stanza with a bucket before sophomore Alexis Parker went streaking on the fast break for two. The Lady Raiders then strung together 10 straight, ahead of two sophomore Maya Linton free throws that resulted in a 34-19 score line. The 'Runners finished off the half on a 6-2 run with multiple Love buckets leading to a 35-25 halftime score.
TTU nailed a three-pointer to begin the third, to which Love responded with an and-one and later knocked down a corner three to cut the deficit to nine. The teams traded makes ahead of a Coleman layup that saw a 42-33 score line with 5:18 left in the frame. Four more Roadrunner points followed as freshman Idara Udo converted an and-one of her own before Love sunk a pair of free throws resulting from a Lady Raider technical foul. UTSA was within three, as the squads exchanged blows with a Proctor jumper prompting a 45-42 score, still favoring Tech. The Lady Raiders, however, rebuilt their lead, finishing the quarter on a 5-0 run for a 50-42 edge entering the final frame.
White buried a three-pointer to kick-start the fourth and hit another shortly after for a 51-48 score. TTU wasted no time responding with a three-ball of their own, extending their advantage to six. A Parker layup midway through the period made the scoreboard read 54-50 at the final media timeout. The Lady Raiders tickled the twine on a three-point attempt, but Proctor and sophomore Cheyenne Rowe knocked down shots for the Roadrunners en route to a 57-54 score line, still favoring TTU. The battle raged on as a bucket for White kept the Roadrunners within five and forced a Lady Raider timeout with 47 seconds on the clock. Neither team could find the bottom of the net again, as TTU claimed a 63-58 victory.
The Roadrunners now turn their attention toward a Saturday showdown in Huntsville, Texas, with a 4 p.m. start time set against Sam Houston State inside the Johnson Coliseum.
Keep up with UTSA Women's Basketball all season long on goutsa.com and by following the program on Facebook at /UTSAWBB, X (Twitter) @UTSAWBB, and on Instagram @UTSA_WBB.
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