MEMPHIS—Down by 11 with 3:44 remaining in the contest, UTSA found a way, with clutch free throws by redshirt senior Jordyn Jenkins and junior Sidney Love securing a 70-68 victory over Memphis. The win cements a 6-0 start to American Athletic Conference play, representing the program's best-ever.
The Roadrunners (15-2, 6-0 The American) bested the Tigers (3-13, 1-4 The American), as UTSA sparked a 10-0 run to claw back late in the game. Jenkins and sophomore Idara Udo each recorded a double-double, marking the first time the 'Runners logged multiple in a single game since Feb. 22, 2024, when Jenkins and current Director of Operations Elyssa Coleman accomplished the feat against Temple.
Jenkins and Udo both snagged 10 rebounds, with Jenkins scoring 17 and Udo 12. Freshman Damara Allen and sophomore Aysia Proctor each logged 11 points, and graduate student Nina De Leon Negron tallied 10 points, four rebounds and four assists. The team effort represented the first time five squad members logged double-digit scoring figures since a road contest at Tulsa on Feb. 14, 2024.
Love wrapped things up with nine points and five assists, and classmate Cheyenne Rowe racked up seven rebounds and three blocks. UTSA worked 13 more rebounds than Memphis.
Allen stroked a triple to put UTSA up 5-2 in the first, but Memphis swiftly responded with a trey of their own, seeing a 7-7 score line. The squads exchanged blows en route to an 11-11 tie midway through the period. Proctor knocked down back-to-back shots, and De Leon Negron banged home a triple to cap off a 7-0 run and deliver a 20-13 advantage. The Tigers scored the subsequent six to close out the period, with UTSA leading 20-19.
Memphis continued its run, opening the second with a layup and a triple to take a 24-20 edge. Proctor connected on a three to keep things close, but the Tigers kept rolling, scoring the subsequent six to extend their edge to seven. A De Leon Negron free throw closed out the half with the 'Runners trailing, 32-26.
An and-one for the Tigers resulted in a 35-26 advantage, ahead of a Love triple and a Jenkins bucket that cut their deficit to four. After two Memphis freebies, the 'Runners embarked on a 7-0 run with a Jenkins layup allowing UTSA to regain the lead. The battle raged on as an Allen three sent the squads into the fourth with UTSA up, 43-42.
Memphis started the final frame hot, using multiple three-pointers to work a 62-51 edge. The Roadrunners kept fighting as Udo, Love, De Leon Negron, Jenkins and Allen all scored in a 10-0 surge, trimming their deficit to one. The Tigers hit a pair from the charity stripe, and Allen tied the game with a corner three. Now in a 64-64 deadlock. Udo went 1-of-2 from the free-throw line, and Memphis got a shot to fall, handing UTSA the ball, down 66-65 with 12 seconds on the clock.
From there, Jenkins knocked down two freebies, ahead of two attempts by Love, who issued a 69-66 Roadrunner lead with 11 ticks left. The Tigers sunk a quick two, and Love hit another free throw, giving Memphis the ball, down 70-68 with 2.2 remaining. The Tigers missed the mark on a potential game-winning triple, allowing UTSA to escape with the win.
The Roadrunners will remain on the road, with a 1 p.m. clash against UAB on Saturday at Bartow Arena.
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