Powered by senior forward Jordyn Jenkins’ third consecutive 20-point game and sophomore forward Idara Udo’s double-double, the Roadrunners rolled to a 69-51 victory over Wichita State University Saturday Jan. 11 at the Convocation Center.
Udo set the tone early in the first quarter with two offensive rebounds that led to putback layups. Jenkins added to the effort, driving inside consistently, while junior forward Cheyenne Rowe extended the lead with a putback off an offensive board. Wichita State (7-11, 1-4 AAC) relied on forward Jayla Murray and guard Salese Blow to stay competitive, but a stifling defensive effort by UTSA (14-2, 5-0 AAC) held the Shockers to just 33% shooting in the first quarter. By the end of the period, the Roadrunners had built a 20-8 lead, out-rebounding the Shockers 13-4.
In the second quarter, Jenkins took control offensively, scoring eight consecutive points for UTSA to maintain the double-digit lead. Graduate guard Nina De Leon Negron added a spinning layup, and Rowe continued to dominate on the boards, extending the lead to 16 points. The Shockers, led by guard Taylor Jameson, struggled to find consistent offense and endured multiple scoring droughts. At halftime, the Roadrunners held a commanding 34-16 advantage, fueled by a 27-11 rebound margin and holding Wichita State to just 7-28 shooting.
“Our whole staff emphasizes rebounding because they know how much potential we have,” Udo said. “We all take pride in giving our team an extra possession.”
The Shockers came alive in the third quarter behind Jameson, who scored 11 points, including three 3-pointers. Wichita State employed an aggressive, double-team-heavy defense, forcing eight Roadrunner turnovers in the period and even cutting the deficit to single digits at one point. Forward Ornella Niankan and Jameson contributed to an 11-2 run that brought the lead down to 42-31. Despite the Shockers’ surge, Udo’s layup inside and Jenkins’ steady scoring helped UTSA maintain a nine-point, 46-37 lead entering the final period.
“It’s unacceptable to come out from halftime and have a team get back up on us,” Jenkins said. “We know what we’re capable of so having to lock in with them bringing it down to a 9-point lead, we have to do better so that is not the case.”
In the fourth quarter, the Roadrunners regained control. De Leon Negron opened with a three-pointer, followed by a fast-break layup from Jenkins to push the lead back to 16 points. Adjusting to Wichita State’s defensive pressure, the Roadrunners responded by shooting 5-5 from the field early in the quarter and held the Shockers to just two field-goal attempts during the same span. Junior forward Maya Linton capped off the performance with a steal and fast-break layup, as UTSA cruised to an 18-point victory.
Jenkins finished with 21 points and nine rebounds, while Udo recorded a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Negron added 11 points on a perfect 4-4 shooting night, alongside a team-high four assists and Rowe contributed 10 points and seven rebounds off the bench.
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