SAN ANTONIO – A 43-6 first-half scoring run allowed UTSA men’s basketball to cruise past the College of Biblical Studies in its season opener 97-30 on Wednesday at the Convocation Center.
Opening night was a display of pure dominance from the Roadrunners (1-0). The team scored 56 points in the opening period while giving up 18 to the Ambassadors (1-4). The ‘Runners’ defense set a new record, as they held their opponent to the fewest points in school history. Five Roadrunners scored in double figures, including junior forward Macaleab Rich, who led the team with 15 points off the bench. Starting freshman forward Kaidon Rayfield was second to Rich, tallying 13 points and 13 rebounds in 23 minutes. A combination of full-court pressure and effortless offensive execution ended the game before the halftime buzzer even sounded.
“We needed to come out, play well and dominate the game,” head coach Austin Claunch said. “It’s not about who it’s against, it’s about this group being able to do it.”
The contest quickly became one-sided thanks to an early 18-0 scoring run mere minutes into the opening period. Despite starting the game in a half-court man defense, the Roadrunners quickly sprang into a full-court defense, trapping the ball and forcing their opponent to work to get up the floor. At times, the Roadrunners toyed with the Ambassadors, stealing the ball and scoring whenever they pleased. Offensively, the team was crisp, effortlessly swinging the ball and finding open teammates for easy buckets.
“It was just a great feeling,” senior guard Austin Nunez said after the victory. “No matter what the individual stats were or the opponent, it was just great to get a win.”
Desperate for an answer, the Ambassadors came into the second half attempting a 2-3 zone defense. The scheme did little to affect the Roadrunners, as they scored 41 second-half points while holding their opponent to 11. UTSA beat out the Ambassadors in every statistical category, including rebounds with 59 to 22 and assists with 22 to 4. The team as a whole shot 44% from the floor and 25% from beyond the arc.
“We were really balanced tonight. I think you’ll see that a lot going forward,” Claunch said. “We’ll enjoy this for the next half hour, but we have a really good team coming in on Friday. We’re going to have a quick turnaround.”
The Roadrunners will face Southern Illinois University Edwardsville at 12:30 p.m. Friday at the Convocation Center.
