SAN JOSE, Calif. – The UTSA men’s basketball team (0-1) opened up its 2026-27 slate on the road on Monday at the Provident Credit Union Event Center, absorbing a 95-74 setback at San Jose State (1-0) in the opener despite a high-scoring turnaround in the second half.
Making their first appearance with 14-of-15 new players on the court for acting head coach Nick Bowman, the Roadrunners jumped out to an early advantage after Isaiah Watts buried the first three-pointer of the season. With Isaiah Coleman pacing the Roadrunners and Mekhi Mason taking charge for the Spartans, the teams traded scores with five lead changes and a tie into the midpoint of the half.
However, the Spartans were able to create some distance as UTSA only put away two of their next 15 shots in the half. Meanwhile, San Jose State succeeded on 11 of their final 17 before the break, launching into a 17-2 run across the final five minutes that built a 45-27 halftime advantage.
Coming out of the locker room for the final 20 minutes, the Roadrunners quickly got back on track behind Preston Turner and KJ Tenner dialing it in from the perimeter, while forcing three quick SJSU turnovers to bring the deficit down to 48-38 in just the first three minutes of the new period.
Despite the Roadrunners drawing offensive production from multiple outlets, Spartan shooting from Joey Chammaa and Mason proved to be too potent, as San Jose State not only rebuilt its lead but grew it to 27. Once more, the Roadrunners tamped down the deficit with Shey Eberwein, Josiah LeGree and Turner leading the way back to a 14-point game with 8:26 to go, as Tenner stripped the ball and pushed ahead to Turner for the breakaway dunk.
The Spartans managed to keep UTSA from getting any closer and pulled away to the 95-74 final in the final two minutes.
Pacing nine Roadrunners scoring, Turner and Eberwein accounted for 15 apiece. A redshirt junior transfer originally from The Woodlands, Eberwein was a perfect 5-for-5 with two triples in his UTSA debut, adding four assists, two steals and two rebounds. Meanwhile, the Eastern Illinois transfer, Turner hit four of his five buckets from long range, adding four rebounds. Also hitting double-figures, Coleman finished with 12 on 5-of-6 shooting, and Tenner added 11 while going 5-of-9 from the field and dealing out six assists.
Up Next
The 2026-27 home opener is on the schedule for the Roadrunners, kicking off the Convocation Center slate on Saturday, Nov. 7, tipping off at 4 p.m. against VMI in the first meeting between these schools since 2003.
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