LOS ANGELES – After battling a tightly-contested first half in the Galen Center on Wednesday night, the UTSA men’s basketball team’s (4-7) offense stalled in the closing moments of the opening half against RV USC (11-1), opening the door for the Trojans to go on a momentum-shifting run into the break. A slow start to the second half and a sudden hot streak gave USC the space to pull away to a 90-70 win.
Deep into the first half, it looked like the Roadrunners had an upset brewing. UTSA delivered the first blow, forcing a Trojan turnover on the opening possession then putting away a Kaidon Rayfield three on the other end. The Roadrunners used the three-ball to get early leverage, as Brent Moss pulled up at the top of the arc. UTSA gained the lead four times in the first six minutes, but every time, the Trojans fired back to knot the score or bump in front.
Grad center Mo Njie sparked the Roadrunners with just inside nine minutes to go, banking a glass three to go up 20-19, then putting away free throws to go back up 24-23 just two minutes later.
Breaking a 27-all stalemate, Moss pulled up for a turnaround jumper down the baseline with 4:18 to go, and Jamir Simpson sunk a pair of free throws to give UTSA its biggest lead at 31-27 with 3:36 remaining.
However, the offense stalled as five UTSA turnovers in the closing moments not only left the Roadrunners scoreless for the remaining time, but gave fuel to a 13-0 USC run into the break – swinging the game from a four-point Roadrunner advantage to a 40-31 deficit over the final 3:36.
The first half produced seven lead changes, and the game was tied nine times. UTSA led for almost seven minutes of the opening period. The Roadrunners were perfect at the free throw line (6-of-6) and outrebounded the Trojans 18-16 in the opening stanza. However, USC’s 11 points off turnovers came in a costly stretch.
Out of the break, USC extended the scoring run briefly before UTSA got the offense moving again, broken up by a Moss drive and dunk, and Dorian Hayes put one down from the perimeter to cut the deficit to 10. However, a pull-up three from Chad Baker-Mazara only 20 seconds later quickly countered the Roadrunners’ blow.
Over a nine-minute stretch, the Trojans caught fire and made 12-of-15 shots while building their advantage to 29 points – with four three-pointers in that push. Though the Roadrunners trimmed the lead by eight points, the deficit proved insurmountable as USC closed out the 97-70 win.
In the final line, the Roadrunners won the rebound battle 34-33 and were a season-best 19-of-23 at the line.
Leading the Roadrunners early, Rayfield ended the night with 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting, grabbing three rebounds with three steals. Moss and Simpson paced the scoring with 16 apiece. Simpson registered his 12th consecutive double-figure game, dating back to last season, while adding three rebounds, three assists and two steals. Moss was 6-for-12 with four boards, two assists and two steals. Leading UTSA’s rebounders, Daniel Akitoby collected seven boards.
Up Next
UTSA’s final non-conference game is set for Monday, Dec. 22 back at home in the Convocation Center against Seattle. The Roadrunners will end 2025 with the American Conference opener at Florida Atlantic on New Year’s Eve in Boca Raton.
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