Finishing the 2022 season at 10-22, the UTSA men’s basketball team found themselves dead last in the Conference USA standings. With nearly all of last year’s roster leaving for the transfer portal, many preseason rankings already have the Roadrunners finishing as one of the bottom-tier teams in the conference.
While few believe the ‘Runners can turn the ship around this season, no one is more confident than returning junior guard Christian Tucker.
When asked about last year’s disappointing season, Tucker simply stated, “Not everybody was locked in on what we needed to do…I have a ton of love for all the guys on last year’s team, but in order to win games, you have to do little things and buy into what we are trying to accomplish… I just didn’t feel like we all wanted to do those things.”
Being locked in and on the same page is something UTSA clearly lacked last season, as a majority of the roster found themselves leaving for the transfer portal. Despite losing almost the entire roster and bringing in 12 brand new players, Tucker claims that he has seen some of the most competition the Roadrunners have had in his three years at UTSA over this past summer.
Remaining very optimistic about the future, Tucker also claims that the new Roadrunners are “building into something great” as they head into their 2023 season. Though it is hard to imagine that the team will experience immediate success, the foundation for a winning culture is certainly being set this year.
While he is new to the role, Tucker has proven to be an effective leader when it comes to uniting his teammates and getting everyone involved.
When asked about his personal goals this season, Tucker proclaimed, “My biggest thing is winning games and bringing my teammates with me.”
Certainly one of UTSA’s hardest-working players, a majority of the Roadrunner’s positive offseason has had a lot to do with the leadership ability of Tucker and other returning players.
With nothing but positive remarks coming from the UTSA men’s basketball team, one cannot help but be hopeful for the 2023-2024 season. Though past years have been somewhat discouraging, fans should definitely watch out for this year’s team.
While it may not be an immediate overnight success, a winning culture is certainly being installed thanks to what seems to be a completely new and improved roster. As players bring in both experience and a desire to win, the future for men’s basketball at UTSA looks brighter than ever.
