As the UTSA women’s basketball team prepares to tip off their 2024-2025 season, the Roadrunners are set to face St. Mary’s University in a preseason exhibition matchup on Friday at the Convocation Center. This game offers an early glimpse at UTSA’s high expectations and how coach Karen Aston’s roster can perform as they aim to build on their achievements from the previous season.
Matchup History
In recent years, UTSA has held the advantage in its limited meetings with St. Mary’s. Last season, the Roadrunners opened their campaign with a decisive 67-46 win against their cross-town rivals. UTSA set a strong defensive tone early, building a 20-11 lead by the end of the first quarter, which grew to 16 by halftime. St. Mary’s showed resilience, narrowing the gap to just three points in the fourth quarter. However, the Rattlers would not be able to keep up with the Roadrunners’ pace and size, and a 17-2 run by UTSA would ultimately secure a comfortable victory.
UTSA
UTSA returns a lineup anchored by senior forward Jordyn Jenkins, whose 17.1 points and 6.8 rebounds per game powered the team to the American Athletic Conference semifinals and first-ever Women’s National Invitation Tournament appearance. Complementing Jenkins in the frontcourt is sophomore forward Idara Udo, who averaged 7.4 points, 5.9 rebounds and ranked third on the team in blocks during her debut season. Udo’s excellence helped UTSA dominate on the boards and the defensive end, as the team would lead the AAC with 44.5 rebounds per game, while their 4.6 blocks per game ranked third in the conference.
Promising freshman additions should bolster UTSA’s interior presence even further, with center Emilia Dannebauer, guard Mia Hammonds and forward Taylor Ross each expected to make an impact on both ends of the floor. The backcourt also provides scoring depth and versatility, with sophomore guard Aysia Proctor and junior guard Sidney Love both posting near double-digit scoring seasons last season. Junior guard Siena Guttadauro also adds playmaking and perimeter shooting, an area where the Roadrunners struggled last season, ranking near the bottom of the AAC by attempting only 16.8 three-pointers per game at a 29% clip.
St. Mary’s
The Rattlers, coached by Valerie Huizar, struggled significantly last season, finishing with a 6-22 record and a tough -10.1 point differential. As a team, St. Mary’s shot only 37% from the field and an alarming 26% from beyond the arc. Their offensive inefficiencies were compounded by an average of 18.7 turnovers per game, nearly five more than their opponents. Despite these setbacks, the team features a few promising players who could challenge the Roadrunners. Forward Sheridan Kavanagh returns as a key offensive piece, having averaged nearly 10 points per game last season before suffering a season-ending injury. Additionally, forward Stina Svilberg provides reliable scoring for the team, having posted 12 double-figure performances last season, including a five-game streak to end the season. Freshman Tiara Louis, who helped lead Brennan High School to a 32-3 record, adds further talent to the roster.
Predictions
While St. Mary’s brings some individual talent, last season’s struggles, combined with the loss of Lone Star Conference Freshman of the Year Taylor Haggan and UTSA’s scoring threats and defensive depth make them the clear favorite. The Roadrunners return a roster filled with key players who contributed to their success last year, all of which are likely to overwhelm St. Mary’s efforts. Moreover, UTSA’s freshman additions bring added size and energy off the bench, creating mismatch opportunities throughout the game. Expect UTSA to control the pace and capitalize on St. Mary’s turnovers to pull away decisively in this exhibition matchup.
Paisano Pick: UTSA 71, St. Mary’s 42
