SAN ANTONIO — UTSA men’s basketball fought to the end against the University of Alabama at Birmingham, losing 83-73 in a tight battle on Wednesday night at the Convocation Center.
Up 69-68 with 4:06 to play, the Roadrunners (4-17, 0-9 AC) allowed the Blazers (13-8, 4-4 AC) to score nine straight points in a two-minute stretch, creating a late-game lead the ‘Runners could not come back from. This run, the largest of the night for either team, came at the conclusion of a cagey, hard-fought game in which neither team seemed able to come out on top. Despite exciting the Convocation Center crowd and showing their grit all night, the ‘Runners and head coach Austin Claunch are still searching for their first win in conference play.
“The frustrating thing is not losing this game tonight. The frustrating part of being a head
coach is what could I have done more to get these guys playing like this a month ago,” Claunch said after the game.
The loss Wednesday night comes after another respectable showing against Temple University on Saturday. Against Alabama-Birmingham, UTSA had a lead of five early in the first half and trailed 36-38 at the break.
Their first half performance centered on sophomore forward Baboucarr Njie and junior
guard Brent Moss, with each having 11 points in the period. Njie had a key run that kept the ‘Runners in the game at the end of the first half, scoring four out of the last five UTSA baskets. The second-year Roadrunner continues to be a reliable scorer in the paint, while dominating the interior defensively, with three blocks. Junior College product Brent Moss was a major threat from distance throughout the game, going 7-14 from the field and 3-7 from three.
“Everytime he shoots, I think it’s going in,” Claunch said of Moss’ performance. “He looks every part of one of the best players on the floor, and that’s what he is.”
In the second half, the Blazers began to punish the UTSA defense with second-chance scoring and improved free throw shooting. Alabama-Birmingham led the entire second half until the four minute mark, but the lead never increased past seven, as the Roadrunners responded with quick spurts of scoring.
Down 60-62 with eight minutes left to play, senior guard Jamir Simpson tied the game with a pull-up jumper. A minute and a half later, he had the highlight play of the game, with a driving dunk over the outstretched arm of an Alabama-Birmingham defender. He then sank a 3-pointer to make it three baskets in a row for the ‘Runners.
“[The defense] wants to close off on the 3-point shot, because they know I can shoot good. So I’m really just trying to get downhill, either find other people, or be aggressive to get myself a bucket,” Simpson said when asked about his versatility.
Simpson played every minute of the second half, and had 12 points on 5-8 shooting, finishing with 18 points overall.
The Roadrunners lost the rebounding battle 35-41, but they had the advantage 38-30 in paint points and 13-11 in second chance scoring. UTSA’s bench put up 20 points in the losing effort.
The Roadrunners have their next game in Tampa, Florida, facing the University of South Florida on Wednesday night at 6 p.m.
