Defensive struggles once again hindered UTSA men’s basketball in its 97-70 loss against the University of Southern California on Wednesday at the Galen Center.
The Roadrunners (4-7) kept the game close early, but after allowing a 13-0 scoring run in the final two minutes of the first half, the team surrendered all hope of collecting a much-needed victory. UTSA turned the ball over five times in those final two minutes, allowing the Trojans (11-1) to coast to a 10-point lead. UTSA’s persistent lack of defensive effort once again held it back, as the team allowed numerous fast breaks, second-chance opportunities and easy backdoor scores. The deficit only grew as the game progressed.
The contest served as the fourth straight loss for UTSA and was the third consecutive game where the team shot below 45% from the field. Despite players, such as senior guard Jamir Simpson and freshman forward Kaidon Rayfield, notching noteworthy statistics, the team has continued to dwell in a state of mediocrity.
The lone bright spot for UTSA came in junior guard Brent Moss. Getting the start in place of the injured junior guard Austin Nunez, Moss made the most of his opportunities, scoring a season high 16 points. Moss was efficient on both sides of the floor, creating multiple highlights, including two thunderous dunks. Moss along with Simpson, who also scored 16 points, led UTSA and kept the team afloat in the early goings.
Despite Moss and Simpson’s contributions, UTSA continued to unravel in the second half. The Runners’ deficit quickly extended to 20 points mere minutes into play. Effort seemed to drain as time went on, with players — such as freshman guard Dorian Hayes and Simpson — committing careless turnovers late in the shot clock. As a collective, the team shot 34% from the field and 25% from beyond the arc. The ‘Runners coughed up 17 turnovers and only produced 12 assists.
With seven minutes left, the game was already decided. UTSA looked defeated, as the mistakes began to pile up at an egregious rate. Each Roadrunner turnover led to yet another fast break opportunity for Southern California , which quickly became a dunk contest for the Trojans. What began as a competitive ballgame, once again, turned into a blowout defeat for UTSA.
The Roadrunners will come home to face Seattle University at 2 p.m. Monday at the Convocation Center.
