Heading into the week of Thanksgiving, the Roadrunners will travel to Troy, Alabama to face off in the Trojan Turkey Tipoff. A two-game tournament for the team, UTSA (1-2) will match up against Troy University (3-2) and Merrimack University (1-2). Coming off of an 0-2 week, coach Austin Claunch and his players will look to bounce back in what hopes to be an exciting challenge.
“We’ve got some time off now, we really need to evaluate who we are,” said Claunch. “It’s a big identity week going into two really big games.”
History
Troy
Though the Roadrunners do not have much of a longstanding history with the Trojans, they have gone 2-0 in their last two meetups. More than a decade ago, UTSA defeated Troy 81-70 in 2010 and 76-70 in 2011. Despite consistently getting the best of the Trojans, the ‘Runners’ history with the team will have little to no impact on Monday’s contest, as the game occurred nearly 13 years ago.
Merrimack
Heading into the tournament, UTSA will look to take on Merrimack for the first time in school history. Failing to meet up in seasons prior, the game will be the first of many going forward, as the Roadrunners look to win the Thanksgiving tournament.
Storylines
While the opponents themselves do not present any major storylines for the ‘Runners, that does not mean there are no underlying narratives headed into the tournament. Currently on a two game losing streak, UTSA has failed to corral a win against a division one opponent. Their inability to hold onto leads and numerous turnovers have continued to hold the team back from reaching its high ceiling. Though breakout players such as senior guard Primo Spears and sophomore guard Marcus Millender have shown great displays of scoring and offense, the team as a whole has failed to gel together and play as a singular unit on the court.
“We’ve shown flashes, you know flashes are good but they get your butts kicked.” Claunch said. “If you’re not consistent for 40 minutes, you’re not going to win games at this level.”
UTSA’s ability to play together and limit careless turnovers will be a major storyline to keep an eye on during the tournament. If the team is able to collect a couple of wins, it could serve as an incredible confidence and moral booster.
Matchups
Heading into Troy, the Roadrunners will be matched up against a team heavily reliant on its defensive capabilities. Currently averaging 18 points off of opponent turnovers and nine steals per game, the Trojans are no stranger to building a defensive front. Though the team averages seven points less per game than UTSA, they pride themselves on limiting open shots and clogging the paint. While guards such as Millender and Spears are expected to carry a majority of the scoring load, it is the others that will need to step up for the Roadrunners. With the starting guards garnering most of the Trojans’ defensive attention, other players such as senior two guard Raekwon Horton and senior forward Jonnivius Smith will need to get involved early if UTSA hopes to walk away with a win. The team will also need to limit their turnovers, as Troy is consistently elite at scoring off of opponent mistakes.
Another formidable opponent, Merrimack is primarily led by guard Clark Adam. His 20 points per game lead the Warriors, with the next highest scorer being forward Sean Trumper averaging 12 points per contest. Similar to UTSA’s own star guards, Adam is an elite scorer, capable of shooting, getting to the basket and finishing in traffic. If the Roadrunners are to leave the game with a victory, they will need to focus on stopping Adam from scoring more than 20 and carrying the team’s scoring load. Stopping the sophomore guard will help stifle the Warrior offense, thus giving UTSA the clear advantage for the entirety of the game.
Predictions
Troy
Hoping to end a two-game losing streak, UTSA will come out of the gates firing on all cylinders. With more than a week to prepare, the team should be well rested and ready to take on the Trojans. Though the defensive play of Troy will be formidable, it is nothing that UTSA cannot handle. The ‘Runners will kick off their tournament with a hardfought defensive victory against the Trojans.
Paisano pick: UTSA 81, Troy 75
Merrimack
Coming off of an exciting win against Troy, it is hard to imagine that UTSA will be able to keep the same level of intensity going up against Merrimack. Their consistent struggles against a zone defense along with the elite three level scoring of Adam will likely prove to be too much for the team to handle. Though they will undoubtedly play it close, UTSA will come away 1-1 from the tournament after a loss to Merrimack University.
Paisano Pick: Merrimack 86, UTSA 72
