Finishing the year with a record well below .500, the UTSA men’s basketball season was a disappointing one, to say the least. Constantly coming up short in big moments, the team faced countless adversity throughout the year. Despite the frustrations, head coach Steve Henson has remained incredibly positive when reflecting on the season as a whole.
“We knew we had enough to play well against anybody,” Henson said of his season thoughts. “I truly could not be more proud of our guys in that locker room.”
Talent and scoring weapons proved to be no issue for the Roadrunners, as multiple players posted breakout years in newfound roles. With over 10 brand new players coming in from the transfer portal, the head coach spoke glowingly of the team’s chemistry right out of the gate.
“We were a hundred percent on character,” Henson claimed. “Sometimes I would sit in the film room just to listen to those guys and walk in late just to hear them hanging out.”
Though team chemistry remained at an all-time high, UTSA’s execution continued to fluctuate all year long. Continuously coughing up games and coming up short, the team struggled early to find their footing in the American Athletic Conference.
“League play started and we were playing well enough, just not really finishing it,” Henson said of the team’s early struggles. “We started losing and it’s hard when you have a losing streak, it genuinely is.”
Stuck in a seven-game drought in the middle of conference play, UTSA quickly sunk to the bottom of the conference rankings. While Henson admitted to being frustrated throughout the losing period, he continuously praised his team for keeping him sane amidst the disappointing stretch.
“It was really frustrating losing that much,” Henson added. “Credit to our guys though, they really made it bearable, you know?”
Continuing to remain positive and hold the team accountable, Henson led UTSA in snapping its losing streak and posting three straight incredible wins. The three victories served as the team’s largest win streak of the season and lit a new fire under the Roadrunners. Players such as PJ Carter, Christian Tucker and Jordan Ivy-Curry all made an incredible jump during the winning streak, posting remarkable numbers at an incredibly efficient rate.
“We’ve always thought that anybody we have out there is a threat,” Henson said of his players’ scoring ability. “Especially when we get a screen and roll action for Tuck, that’s really what started clicking for us.”
Despite the brief win streak, UTSA ultimately finished the season dead last in the conference with a record of 5-13. Bounced out of the AAC tournament in the first round, Henson opted to keep it brief when asked about his final thoughts on the season.
“Close,” Henson remarked. “We were so close in those big games, we just came up one play or one shot short.”
Finishing with an 11-20 record, the Roadrunners now gear up for what looks to be a grueling offseason with a new head coach.
