Box Score HAMMOND – UTSA's Morris Smith scored 17 points, including back-to-back 3-pointers to fuel a 10-0 second half run, as the Roadrunners held on and defeated Southeastern Louisiana, 66-61, in a regionally-televised contest Saturday afternoon at the University Center.
Josh Bonney added 13 points and Travis Gabbidon 11 points and 12 rebounds as UTSA (14-7, 5-3 SLC) never trailed in the second half after battling to a 31-31 deadlock after the first 20 minutes. Southeastern, which has lost its last three games by a combined 10 points, fell to 9-13 overall and 3-6 in the SLC.
Smith, who scored 11 points in the second half, gave the Roadrunners the lead for good, 34-31, when he drained a 3-pointer at the 17:57 mark. Smith, who went 3-for-4 from behind the 3-point line in the second half, drilled another trey before Bonney hit a jumper and scored off a Southeastern turnover to give UTSA a 41-31 lead with 16:26 left.
Southeastern cut into the UTSA lead using a 6-0 run that erased a 50-42 deficit.
Warrell Span hit a jumper and tipped in his own miss before a dunk by
Patrick Sullivan cut the lead to 50-48 with 10:27 remaining.
A bucket by
Robert Tibbs closed the UTSA lead to 52-50 at the 8:48 mark, but UTSA's Demarco Stepter drained a 3-pointer from the top of the key to push the Roadrunner lead to 55-50.
Stepter added a free throw with 6:25 left to put UTSA ahead, 58-52, before Southeastern mounted another run.
Damon Forest, who scored a season-high 22 points, drove the right baseline for a dunk and Tibbs followed with a free throw and basket to close the UTSA lead to 58-57 with 4:43 remaining.
But Bonney, a former White Castle High product, dashed Southeastern's hopes on the following possession as scored on a three-point play at the 3:15 mark, fouling Sullivan out in the process.
Trailing 64-61 after
Brandon Fortenberry scored on a driving layup with 1:21 remaining, the Lions got a stop on defense and had an opportunity to tie the game. But Fortenberry's 3-point attempt rimmed in and out and Gabbidon hit a pair of free throws down the stretch to ice the game.
Fortenberry scored 14 points and dished out eight assists for Southeastern while
David Ndoumba pulled down a season-high 12 rebounds.
Southeastern returns to action on Saturday when it visits Nicholls State in a key SLC contest at Stopher Gym.
UTSA (14-7, 5-3 SLC)
Smith 6-11 2-2 17; Bonney 6-9 1-2 13; Gabbidon 3-12 5-11 11; Johnson 3-7 0-0 9; Stepter 3-8 1-2 8; Allen 3-5 2-3 8; Gasporra 0-0 0-0 0; Jackson 0-2 0-0 0; Shank 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 24-57 11-20 66.
SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA (9-13, 3-6 SLC)
Forest 8-12 2-3 22; Fortenberry 5-11 2-2 14; Tibbs 3-8 1-4 7; Pope 3-5 0-0 6; Span 3-10 0-0 6; Sullivan 3-9 0-0 6; Ndoumba 0-3 0-1 0; Patterson 0-6 0-0 0; Burches 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-64 5-10 61.
Halftime – SLU 31, UTSA 31. 3-point goals - UTSA 7-22 (Johnson 3-4; Smith 3-7; Stepter 1-3; Allen 0-1; Jackson 0-1; Shank 0-2; Gabbidon 0-4), SLU 6-19 (Forest 4-7; Fortenberry 2-5; Span 0-2; Ndoumba 0-1; Patterson 0-2; Tibbs 0-2). Fouled out - Sullivan. Rebounds - UTSA 36 (, Travis 12), SLU 46 (Ndoumba 12). Assists - UTSA 10 (Johnson 4), SLU 15 (Fortenberry 8). Total fouls - UTSA 13, SLU 20. Technical fouls -None. A – 913.
