A record-setting offensive performance from the UTSA men’s basketball team guided the Roadrunners to an 89-73 victory over Tulsa on Wednesday night in the Convocation Center. Guard Christain Tucker ignited the ‘Runner offense, tying an American Athletic Conference record of 14 assists in a single game. The team also hit 14 3-pointers to propel the Roadrunners to their second straight victory.
“We had a great gameplan headed into the game,” Tucker said of the win. “My teammates were knocking down all the shots so I really just give all the credit to them.”
Posting their best offensive first half of the season, UTSA (10-19, 4-12 AAC) never looked back in their blowout victory. Hitting 11 3-pointers in the opening period, and 14 in the game the Convocation Center erupted in excitement. Shooting nearly 50% from both the floor and from beyond the arc, the ‘Runners had no trouble putting the ball in the basket Wednesday night. Leading the scoring charge were guard Jordan Ivy-Curry and forward Chandler Cuthrell who combined for 34 total points including a barrage of 3’s. Tucker also contributed 12 points in addition to his 14 dimes, giving the guard his 3rd double-double of the season.
“It gives us a lot of confidence,” Ivy-Curry said of the team’s first half. “We see the light now, and guys are really stepping up defensively and offensively.”
Though Tulsa (14-14, 5-11) tried different defensive schemes to slow down the UTSA, the romp never came within 10 points in the second half. With no real defensive answer, the Roadrunners continued to find ways to score late in the second period, including a monstrous dunk by center Trey Edmonds. Leading late by double digits, the team played cautious, using up most of the shot clock before initiating their offense. With Tucker handling the ball, UTSA ran multiple pick-and-roll actions to quickly get the guard downhill.
“We’re doing a lot of things right,” head coach Steve Henson said of the offensive execution. “The offense was beautiful.”
The ‘Runners also managed to beat the Golden Hurricanes on the defensive end, forcing 11 turnovers including seven steals. The team made the most of Tulsa’s mistakes, scoring 31 fast break points and 12 second-chance buckets.
Winning their second straight conference game, UTSA will look to extend their winning streak to three on Saturday. Though the team has failed to create a three-game win streak all season, coach Henson remained adamant that his team is more than capable of winning consistently.
“I think we’ve kind of got that taste of winning,” Henson added. “I like what we’re doing right now defensively, you know? It’s definitely something we can build on.”
The Roadrunners will face SMU at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Moody Coliseum.
