SAN ANTONIO — After weathering an early deficit and delivering a resilient second-half response, UTSA women’s basketball leaned on clutch execution late to secure a 69-63 victory over the University of North Carolina at Charlotte on Saturday at the Convocation Center.
UTSA (8-6, 3-0 AC) relied on its veterans to break a late-game tie that had the crowd on the edge of their seats. A crucial midrange jumper from senior forward Cheyenne Rowe gave the ’Runners a two-point lead, and a momentum-shifting charge from senior guard Ereauna Hardaway swung possession and put Charlotte (8-9, 2-2 AC) on the brink. Yet another offensive foul on the ensuing possession ended the 49ers comeback bid before a tying look could materialize.
“I can’t say enough about how proud I am of this group,” coach Karen Aston said. “They’re young, they’re resilient and they understand it’s not about them individually. They just want to help contribute and be part of the team.”
The opening quarter suggested a long night for the Roadrunners. Charlotte jumped out to a 9-0 lead by capitalizing on offensive rebounds and isolations, as guards Zoe Best and Tanajah Hayes found success attacking one-on-ones. UTSA struggled to generate clean looks, missing its first four attempts from beyond the arc and committing early turnovers under heavy ball pressure. Even so, defensive activity kept the deficit manageable. Sophomore guard Mia Hammonds ignited a brief spark with a steal and fast-break layup; then freshman guard Adriana Robles added another transition bucket to pull UTSA back within striking distance.
“They’re the best offensive rebounding team in our league,” Aston said. “We have to box out and get the ball. We had a stretch where we just stood around and watched them. We had gotten better at that earlier in the year, but today we went through a phase where we have to correct it.”
Despite shooting just 23% in the first quarter, the ‘Runners trailed by only four thanks to six steals and eight forced turnovers. That defensive foundation carried into the second period where UTSA flipped the game entirely. Rowe and sophomore center Emilia Dannebauer battled inside without junior forward Idara Udo available, while Hardaway and sophomore guard Damara Allen knocked down timely threes. A 10-0 run erased a seven-point deficit and shifted momentum, holding the 49ers to 3-of-14 shooting in the quarter.
The third period turned into a shootout. The Roadrunners opened the half a perfect 4-for-4 from the field, with Rowe, Hammonds and Hardaway all contributing as Charlotte answered nearly every punch behind Best. Both teams shot over 60% in the period, leaving UTSA clinging to a 47-45 edge entering the fourth.
Charlotte leaned heavily on forward Asianae Nicholson’s rebounding and guard Princess Anderson’s scoring to stay within reach, but the ‘Runners answered each surge. Hardaway’s tough finish in traffic tied the game at 55, Rowe’s midrange touch steadied the offense and Allen’s free throws sealed it. Hardaway finished with 19 points, Hammonds added 17 and Rowe scored 16 as UTSA shot 55% in the second half to grind out the conference win.
“I take a lot of pride in the culture,” Aston said. “It’s one thing to build a good team, but it’s another to build a program. Seeing that carry over from team to team means a lot.”
UTSA will next travel to Tampa to take on the University of South Florida at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Yuengling Center.
