Rylan Renteria

After suffering a crushing defeat against the University of North Texas on Saturday, UTSA men’s basketball’s losing streak has now extended to 16 games. The loss mathematically eliminated the Roadrunners from an American Conference Tournament bid, squandering all hope of a miraculous tournament run. UTSA has yet to win a game since November and has fallen to last place in the American Conference standings. Few things, if any, have gone right for head coach Austin Claunch and his team this season. 

Despite having a roster with immense talent, poor coaching, a lack of execution and countless miscues have made the season one of the worst in university history. While there are still seven games left on the schedule, it is safe to say this Roadrunner team is one of the worst in school history. 

There have been numerous reasons for UTSA’s inability to string together wins this season. The biggest issue, however, lies with Claunch. The second-year coach has continuously implemented poor game plans and has voiced his struggles to prepare his team for games. 

Although his offense heavily relies on players breaking out into the open court, his half-court offensive sets have been abysmal all season. The team shoots 25% from beyond the arc and still insists on attempting nearly 25 threes per game. The basketball aimlessly moves around the perimeter until a player is forced to heave the ball late in the shot clock. 

Paint penetration and ball movement have been nonexistent, yet Claunch continues to preach the same three-point centric schemes on the offensive side of the ball. Making substitutions one minute into contests, poorly drawn out plays and an absence of time management have hindered the Roadrunners severely in their current 4-win season. 

Though Claunch bears much of the blame, the players are certainly not innocent. At times, players, including senior guard Jamir Simpson and others, exhibit selfish play and a clear lack of defensive rhythm that have handicapped UTSA in its pursuit of victory. Players continuously get beat off the dribble, and if they do manage to get the on-ball stop, there is almost always someone open under the basket for a team-deflating dunk. Defensive support and paint presence have plagued the ‘Runners the entire season. Defensive stops come few and far between, and possessions often end with UTSA committing a foul, bailing out their opponent. 

Offensively, players find themselves playing a selfish brand of basketball with inefficient step-back threes and ball-dominant possessions that often lead to large scoring droughts. Players look reluctant to make the right play, focused more on getting a highlight than helping their team score. 

The culmination of everything has led to the worst UTSA men’s basketball season in recent memory. While previous years have been disappointing, the Roadrunners have always found a way to squeeze out 10 wins. For the first time since 2015, it is likely that the team will not reach double-digit victories. Whether it is coaching issues, player personnel or simply bad luck, the year has been one that fans cannot wait to forget.