FORT WORTH, Texas — The No. 4 seed UTSA women's basketball team narrowly fell to No. 9 seed East Carolina, 55-54, in the 2024 American Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Championship semifinals on Tuesday in Dickies Arena.
Despite a handful of stellar performances, the Roadrunners (17-14, 10-8 AAC) came up short against the Pirates (19-13, 9-9 AAC).
Senior Jordyn Jenkins recorded a team-high 14 points with four rebounds, while sophomore Sidney Love joined her in the double-digit scoring club, charting 10 with five boards. Senior Kyra White flirted with a double-double, scoring nine points with eight assists and five rebounds, and freshman Aysia Proctor hauled in nine boards. Additionally, sophomore Cheyenne Rowe went 4-for-5 off the bench, scoring nine, and redshirt junior Elyssa Coleman scored eight.
Coleman and Udo sunk shots to open the contest, ahead of an ECU triple that combined with a layup to give the Pirates a quick 5-4 advantage. Coleman halted the run, but another Pirate three-pointer and a bucket issued a 10-6 ECU lead. From there, Love nailed a pullup jumper, and Proctor finished through contact, knotting the contest at 10. Rowe then tickled the twine on a free throw, handing UTSA an 11-10 lead at the conclusion of the first.
The Roadrunner run continued into the second, as White banged home a three-pointer and Jenkins converted a jumper to afford the squad a 16-10 lead. Shortly after, UTSA stretched seven points together courtesy of a White triple and back-to-back makes by Rowe. ECU capped off the stanza with a layup, sending the squads into the locker room with the Roadrunners leading 25-16.
Neither team could gain an inch in the third quarter, each scoring 16 points, as Love beat the buzzer to work a 41-32 edge heading into the final frame.
It was more of the same to start the fourth before ECU strung together four straight to trim their deficit to six midway through the period. The comeback raged on as an eight-point spurt followed, cutting UTSA's lead to one. With the Roadrunners still leading, 50-49. Jenkins finished through contact to keep the 'Runners out in front, but the Pirates responded with back-to-back makes and a pair of free throws to take a 55-52 advantage with 39 seconds on the clock. Love got a shot to fall with eight seconds remaining, pulling UTSA within one. The Roadrunners intentionally fouled, and the Pirates missed two free throws before time expired, with the scoreboard reading 55-54 in favor of ECU.
The Roadrunners now await their postseason fate, with Selection Sunday slotted for March 17.
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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