MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Four Roadrunners scored in double-figures as the UTSA men’s basketball team (4-14, 0-6 AMER) battled with Memphis (9-8, 4-1 AMER) on Sunday at FedExForum. Although the Roadrunners clawed their way back to a two-possession game just before halftime, untimely Tiger runs to end both halves inflated the margin en route to a 95-69 final score.
An early 7-0 Memphis run created breathing room the Tigers would cling to throughout the first half, as UTSA stayed step-for-step with Memphis once it got its offensive footing. Just under three minutes into Sunday’s nationally televised conference tilt, grad guard Jamir Simpson put his first points on the board and sparked the Roadrunners, who traded scores with the Tigers over the next 10 minutes. Simpson cut the deficit to four points with 4:17 remaining and junior Austin Nunez later pulled it back to five with an and-one layup inside the final minute. However, the Tigers added five unanswered points in the closing moments to carry a 43-33 lead into halftime.
Nunez chopped the Tiger lead to nine with another hoop and harm at 16:51 in the second half, but that’s the final time the Roadrunners pulled the deficit to single digits. Although Dug McDaniel was holding things down for the Tigers, Sincere Parker increased his presence and Memphis started to create more separation. After the Roadrunners started to rally once again – senior LJ Brown cutting it to 14 on a triple with 8:37 to go – McDaniel sparked Memphis to a 12-0 run into the final three minutes and pulled away to the 95-69 win.
Matching his career high with five threes, freshman Dorian Hayes led the Roadrunners with 17 points, shooting 6-for-12 from the field and 5-of-11 from three. Marking a career night, Brown was 4-of-8 from long range to score a career-best 14 points, on top of four rebounds and two steals. Simpson also logged 14 points with three assists and Nunez added 13 points with three assists.
Sophomore Baboucarr Njie registered a career-high six assists with four blocks and six rebounds.
Turnovers proved a substantial factor as the game went on, with Memphis converting 17 UTSA turnovers into 21 points.
The Roadrunners shot 41.5 percent from the field, while the Tigers went 56.3 percent on the night.
Up Next
UTSA remains on the road and travels directly to Denton, Texas, making the first of two meetings with North Texas, taking on the Mean Green on Wednesday at the Super Pit. On Saturday, UTSA gets the rematch with Temple at the Convo for Rowdy Rodeo.
- UTSA -