Crucial turnovers and late defensive blunders held the Roadrunners back from pulling off the miraculous upset against No. 23 FAU in a 112-103 Sunday thriller at the Convocation Center.
A 38-point explosion from UTSA junior guard Jordan Ivy-Curry proved to be not enough in the overtime period, as the Owls exploded for 21 overtime points.
“Definitely felt like we had a chip on our shoulder headed into this game,” Christian Tucker said of the game’s tension.
Tucker, who posted 19 points while dishing out 12 assists, achieved his second double-double this season. Ivy-Curry scored an abundance of mid-range shots and layups down the stretch. His scoring output was matched by FAU guard Johnell Davis, who continued to battle the UTSA guard during their matchup. Despite ultimately losing the battle, Ivy-Curry would go on to outscore Davis, posting 38 points and seven rebounds.
“Juice certainly had the hot hand; we wanted to make sure he got the ball,” UTSA coach Steve Henson said of Ivy-Curry’s scoring down the stretch.
A pair of Tucker free throws gave the ‘Runners a two-point lead with three minutes left in overtime. Quickly countered by two Owl free throws, UTSA then committed a crucial turnover, allowing FAU to take a three-point lead of their own.
Ivy-Curry would take a deep three that ultimately fell short, allowing FAU to quickly knock down a three from the wing to take a six-point lead with two minutes left in the period. Continuing to feed Ivy-Curry late, the guard went on to score seven in the added time, though the ‘Runners fell shy of a win. Failing to execute defensively in the contest’s final minutes, UTSA would allow the Owls to score 21 points in overtime while only putting up 12.
“Losing is a terrible thing for a team; [with the] game on the line, we have to haul in those possessions,” Henson said following the loss.
The Roadrunners had no trouble scoring the ball against their ranked opponent, as four ‘Runners scored in the double digits. While Curry continued to execute offensively, Tucker and guard Isaiah Wyatt combined for 33 points.
UTSA will face Tulane at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Convocation Center.
