MINNEAPOLIS – The Roadrunners opened the 2023-24 season on Monday with a big overtime victory over Western Illinois, running away with the game in the extra period. But now, UTSA men’s basketball (1-0) takes on a new test with a Big Ten opponent on the road in the chilly north, kicking off a four-game road swing at Minnesota (1-0) on Friday night. The Roadrunners will appear on Peacock for the first time in program history, alongside the radio broadcast on Sports Radio AM 760 The Ticket. The game is set for a 6:30 p.m. tipoff at Williams Arena, AKA "The Barn".
On the Air and the Web
Tuesday’s game will tip at 6:30 p.m. at the Williams Arena and will air live on the Radio with Jay Howard doing play-by-play live from Minneapolis. The broadcast will appear on Sports Radio AM 760 The Ticket will feature a 30-minute pregame and 15-minute postgame show and will be available online at Ticket760.com or via the free iHeartRadio app.
To watch the game, fans with a Peacock subscription can catch the Roadrunners live on the streaming platform for the first time, as part of the Big Ten’s media rights agreement with NBC. On the call will be Rich Lerner (play-by-play) and John Giannini, PhD (analyst).
Minnesota Athletics will also provide LIVE STATS from Williams Arena.
Last Time Out
‣ Eighth-year head coach Steve Henson earned his 100th career win with the Roadrunners as UTSA pulled away in overtime to defeat Western Illinois, 78-68, Monday night at the Convocation Center in the season opener.
‣ UTSA kicked off the season on a victory for the fourth consecutive season, earning a season-opening win against a Division I opponent for the first time since 2011-12. It was the program’s first win over an Ohio Valley Conference opponent.
‣ Western Illinois won the rebound battle, 56-47, but the Roadrunners only committed seven turnovers to WIU’s 12.
‣ Coming into the contest, UTSA had provided an offensive explosion in two exhibition games against Division III opponents Trinity and McMurry – firing off a 225-point scoring total.
‣ Against Western Illinois, the Roadrunners maintained the lead for the vast majority of regulation, going over 36 minutes in front, but the Leathernecks kept things close enough to creep back and knot things up at the end of the first half (28-28) and regulation (65-65).
‣ However, UTSA took command in overtime, outscoring the Leathernecks 13-3, helped along by a 7-1 rebounding advantage in OT.
‣ Forward Trey Edmonds registered five points across two consecutive possessions to get UTSA moving in OT, and Christian Tucker followed with a trio of free throws.
‣ After WIU reclaimed one score on a three, Isaiah Wyatt, Edmonds and Tucker countered with six unanswered to secure the 10-point victory.
‣ Tucker logged career highs of 12-of-15 free throws for a career-best 18 points to lead UTSA - Not to mention his career-best eight assists.
‣ Edmonds reached 15 points on 5-for-10 shooting, also grabbing eight rebounds.
‣ Center Carlton Linguard Jr. recorded his first career double-double with a pairing of 12 points, 10 rebounds, while also registering two blocks.
‣ Guards Dre Fuller Jr. and Wyatt each collected 10 points to round out five double-digit UTSA scorers, while Fuller also produced seven boards.
Series with Minnesota
This contest is the second in the series between the Roadrunners and Gophers. The prior meeting at Williams Arena was on Dec. 14, 1992, and ended in a 93-75 Minnesota win.
UTSA Against the Big Ten
The Roadrunners are 1-7 all-time against Big Ten teams Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, Ohio State and Nebraska. UTSA has been pitted against Big Ten foes in two NCAA opening rounds, including the program’s first-ever NCAA appearance in 1998, falling to third-seeded Illinois, 81-72 at Riverfront Coliseum in Cincinnati to close out a 22-9 season. In UTSA’s last NCAA postseason, the Roadrunners dropped a 75-46 tilt to No. 1 seed Ohio State at Cleveland’s Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in 2011. UTSA has played Iowa three times, topping the Hawkeyes last time around, 62-50, on Nov. 15, 2009.
Scouting Minnesota
‣ Ben Williams leads the Gophers in his third year in Minneapolis and Minnesota is coming off a 9-22 finish a year ago, including a 2-17 Big Ten mark.
‣ Minnesota opened the season on Monday as well, defeating 2022 UTSA opponent Bethune-Cookman, 80-60, at home. The Gophers prepped for the year with a 97-73 victory over DIII foe Macalester College on Nov. 2.
‣ Against B-CU, three Gophers went for double-figures, led by returning All-Big Ten honorable mention forward Dawson Garcia – notching a double-double of 23 points and 14 rebounds, along with six assists.
‣ Although Garcia topped Minnesota in all three stats, sophomore guard Braeden Carrington also scored 13 and junior guard Elijah Hawkins added 10 points.
‣ The Gophers shot 52.2 percent from the floor and held B-CU to just 29.4 percent shooting.
‣ Bethune got the upper hand in both rebounds and turnovers allowed, holding 39-37 and 14-17 advantages, respectively.
Up Next
The road swing resumes on Tuesday in East Texas with the first of two matchups against Lamar this season. The Roadrunners and Cardinals will square off on Nov. 14 at 7 p.m. at Beaumont’s Neches Arena. UTSA closes the week with the Battle of I-35, taking on Texas State in San Marcos at 7:15 p.m. on Nov. 17.
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