SAN ANTONIO – Kicking off the program’s 45th season and the second year under head coach Austin Claunch, the UTSA men’s basketball team (1-0) lit up their side of the scoreboard and kept the opposing side stagnant on Wednesday night at the Convocation Center. The Roadrunners not only notched the program record but also set the American Conference record for fewest points allowed, while dispatching College of Biblical Studies (1-3) in the season opener, 97-30.
Sending all three of UTSA’s freshmen out for the starting lineup, the opening minutes didn’t lean toward where the game was headed, as the Ambassadors kept pace early in Wednesday’s UTSA season opener. The newest Roadrunner and the one with the greatest distance from home, French rookie Mathéo Coffi, splashed the first points of the season just 11 seconds in. However, the Ambassadors had a quick answer with a dunk by Alvin Kay. San Antonio native Austin Nunez added free throws in his first hometown appearance since high school, but Kay countered with one of his own. Coffi and Nunez paced the early going for UTSA, but the Roadrunners couldn’t quite seem to shake CBS until the defensive mindset took hold for UTSA.
Things started to turn against the Ambassadors when sophomore Baboucarr Njie blocked a Treveon Ford dunk with 12:34 remaining, with junior Brent Moss grabbing the board and lobbing one up for a powerhouse dunk by junior Macaleab Rich. On the next possession, Njie drove the lane to give UTSA its first double-digit lead – and the Roadrunners never slowed down, forcing CBS into seven turnovers across an eight-minute stretch, influencing a 36-1 scoring run that lasted 11 minutes. Coming down the stretch at the end of the first, the Ambassadors got the offense moving just enough and traded scores with the Roadrunners into a 56-18 UTSA lead at the break.
The first half left little doubt that the Roadrunners had too many answers for the Ambassadors, using their height to wrangle a 24-16 rebound advantage and put 10 different scorers on the board – led by Rich with nine and Dorian Hayes with eight. UTSA forced CBS into 15 first-half turnovers, leading to 22 Roadrunner points.
For the first six minutes of the second half, CBS got some opportunities while trading scores with the Roadrunners, but again the UTSA defense locked down. The Roadrunners forced another seven turnovers and went on a 30-0 offensive tear that lasted for 14:14 of complete shutout. If not for three free throws in the closing seconds, UTSA nearly blanked the Ambassadors for the remainder of the half in the 97-30 victory – holding the lowest opponent score in both UTSA and American Conference history.
Oklahoma City freshman forward Kaidon Rayfield dominated the boards and debuted with a 13-point, 13-rebound double-double. Meanwhile, Rich’s 15 points on 7-of-11 shooting led five Roadrunners in double-figures – also including Coffi (10), Hayes (10) and Jamir Simpson (13).
The Roadrunners shot 50.6 percent from the floor as 11 players scored, and racked up a 59-32 rebound advantage with 13 Roadrunners grabbing a board. Led by Njie with three, UTSA also notched nine blocks.
Up Next
Given the opportunity to shake off the rust and put up some major offensive and defensive numbers, the Roadrunners have an early test on the schedule to end the week, as 2025 NCAA Tournament team SIU Edwardsville visits the Convo in a 12:30 p.m. day game on Friday, Nov. 7. In a similar matchup, SIUE downed East West University on Tuesday, 119-50.
- UTSA -