SAN ANTONIO – The UTSA women's basketball team are set to host FIU on Saturday for its Senior Day/Military Appreciation Game. Tip-off is set for 12 p.m. (CT) on ESPN+ at the Convocation Center.
Five seniors will be honored in a pregame ceremony – Hailey Atwood, Queen Ulabo, Deborah Nwakamma, student manager Carisa Ramirez and student assistant Boo Ciss. The Roadrunners will also recognize a handful of former players who are graduating. UTSA is also honoring all active and retired military for their Military Appreciation Game.
LEADING THE ROADRUNNERS
Junior Jordyn Jenkins leads the conference in scoring with 554 points, averaging 20.5 per game. Jenkins also leads the team with 205 rebounds and 34 steals. Redshirt sophomore Elyssa Coleman has done a phenomenal job on defense with a team-high 44 blocks, while also recording 169 rebounds and 263 points (second on the team in both categories). Coleman owns the top single-game blocks in the conference this season, recording a high of six blocks against FIU on Jan. 21.
Junior Kyra White leads the Roadrunners with 121 assists, averaging 4.5 per game. White is fifth in the conference with a 1.54 assist/turnover ratio. Freshman Sidney Love has the second-most assists on the team (49) and third-most points (223). UTSA is first in the conference with a 6.5 rebound margin, outperforming its opponents by 1085 rebounds to 910 rebounds. The Roadrunners also have a conference-high 40.19 rebounds per game.
LAST TIME OUT
The Roadrunners (9-18, 7-11 in C-USA) are coming off a 77-61 win over Florida Atlantic on Thursday. Kyra White exploded for a career-high 22 points, along with five assists, a couple of steals and three blocks. This marks White's first 20-point scoring game of her career. Jordyn Jenkins led the team with 26 points scored, also recording four rebounds. The Roadrunners scored 16 points off of 22 Florida Atlantic turnovers. UTSA also led with fast break points by 16 points to 10 points. The Roadrunners shot 48.3 percent from the field, banking a handful more field goals than the Owls. The biggest difference maker of the game was the three pointers as UTSA banked seven three-point baskets to Florida Atlantic's two.
RECORD WATCHING
Jordyn Jenkins put up a career-high 40 points against North Texas on Feb. 20, 2023. The school single-game record is 41 points in a game by Tesha Smith against Florida Atlantic on Feb. 25, 2017. Jenkins currently has 554 total points this season. The program record is 583 points by Tammy Rogers in the 1990-91 season. Jenkins has averaged 20.3 points per game this season. The school record is 20.7 per game by Starlite Williams in 1986-87.
With the Roadrunners' 68-67 win over North Texas on Feb. 20, head coach Karen Aston officially notched her 300th career win.
JINKIES FOR JENKINS
Jordyn Jenkins has been named the Conference USA Player of the Week three times this season – Nov. 28, Dec. 19, and Dec. 26. Scoring a career-high 40 points against North Texas on Feb. 20, Jenkins owns the conference single-game second best this season. She leads the conference in multiple categories – field goal percentage (48.9), field goals (194), points (554), points per game (20.5), rebounds (205). Amongst all Division I schools in Texas, Jenkins is the highest scoring student-athlete.
Newcomer Jenkins was named to the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Preseason Watch List, the first Roadrunner to earn that honor. The Becky Hammon Award was first given out in 2020 and aims to celebrate those playing in the 26 mid-major conferences.
Jenkins is a transfer from the University of Southern California, where she played the last two seasons. At USC, she led the team offensively in almost every category while starting in 26 of 28 games in 2021-22. Jenkins led the Trojans in total points (384/14.8 per game), free throws made (110) and field goals made (134). The Kent, Wash., native was named the Pac-12 Most Improved Player, as well as earning All-Pac 12 Honors at the end of the season.
SCOUTING THE PANTHERS
FIU holds a 12-14 record (7-10 in C-USA action) after a 83-79 loss to UTEP on Thursday. The Panthers were picked to finish 10th (second to last) in the conference in the preseason C-USA Coaches' Poll. FIU is currently seventh in the conference but are on a four-game losing streak coming into this game.
Kaliah Henderson leads the Panthers with 406 points, averaging 15.6 points per game. Tanajah Hayes has a team-high 90 steals, averaging 2.44 per game, along with 61 steals. Maria Torres leads the team with 16 blocks, while Hope Butera leads the Panthers with 140 rebounds. FIU leads the conference with 14.8 offensive rebounds per game.
SERIES HISTORY VS FIU
The Panthers hold the 10-7 advantage over the Roadrunners in the all-times series history. UTSA and FIU last played each other on Jan. 21, 2023, when the Panthers defeated the Roadrunners, 51-48. Jordyn Jenkins led the team with 14 points, while Sidney Love notched her first career double-double (10 points & 10 rebounds).
UP NEXT: The Roadrunners conclude the regular season in Charlotte, N.C., as they play the defending champion Charlotte 49ers on Thursday, March 2. Tip-off is set for 5 p.m. CT on ESPN+ for the regular season finale.
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