Defensive miscues and a 17-point first-half deficit held UTSA men’s basketball back in its 80-69 loss against Texas State University on Wednesday at Strahan Arena.
A flat opening half forced UTSA (1-2) into a double-digit deficit early, and countless offensive rebounds and second-chance opportunities squandered any hope for a Roadrunner comeback. The team was outrebounded by the Bobcats (2-2) 47 to 33, and committed 11 turnovers on the night. Senior two-guard Jamir Simpson led the team with a season high of 22 points, though it was not enough to secure the victory.
UTSA looked unprepared in the opening period. The defense was lackluster at best, as the Bobcats consistently found wide-open looks from various spots on the court. While the team stifled Texas State for a couple of possessions in the first half with a 1-3-1 zone defense, the ‘Runners failed to bring the deficit within 10. UTSA continued to leave players open in the short corner, allowing for easy scores within the paint.
If the Roadrunners were able to make a key defensive stop, it was quickly erased due to an offensive rebound and second-chance score. Texas State snagged six offensive rebounds in the first half and scored 15 points off turnovers and fast breaks.
The offense was no better in the first period. In seven minutes, UTSA had scored zero points and committed six turnovers. The half-court offense looked stagnant, as the ball aimlessly traveled the perimeter each possession. Players were either forced into last-second shot attempts or pressured into isolation situations, leading to multiple empty possessions. UTSA shot 37% from the floor, 17% from three in the first half and finished trailing 38-26.
The ‘Runners looked lost at times and were never able to gain control of the contest. Texas State dictated the game’s pace for all of regulation, bringing the Roadrunner offense to a screeching halt.
In the second half, the team made valiant efforts to shorten the double-digit deficit. Sophomore forward Mo Njie led the way for the team with nine points in the final 12 minutes of the game. Njie was perfect from the floor and managed to bring UTSA within six points with a little over 10 minutes remaining in the game. Though the momentum almost shifted towards the Roadrunners, they immediately gave up a three-point play, dropping the deficit back to 10 and forfeiting any hopes of a comeback victory.
The Roadrunners were beaten in every statistical category. As a team, they shot 39% from the floor and 27% from the three-point line. UTSA spent all of regulation trailing and failed to bring the game within single digits.
UTSA’s next game will come against Denver University at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Hamilton Gymnasium.
