POINT BREAK

THE ROADRUNNERS quickly learned that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. As of Feb. 1, the men’s basketball team was 5-15 overall, with a 1-9 record in the Western Athletic Conference. This season marks UTSA’s first and only season in the league. UTSA’s lone win came on Jan. 24 when they defeated the Seattle Redhawks, 78-75, on the road.

The game was the first basketball match between teams from…

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San Antonio and Seattle since the Spurs lost to the then-Seattle Supersonics in Jan. 2008. The Roadrunners found victory thanks to guard Michael Hale III, who made a career-high 35 points against Seattle. Kannon Burrage (19 points) and Hyjii Thomas (12 points) joined Hale in double figures. Hales’ 35 points helped UTSA hold off the Redhawks’ charge in the second half.

Seattle’s efforts chipped away at the Roadrunners’ lead, from 14 points in the first half, to seven at halftime and finally nothing after they tied the score at 65, with six minutes left. The Roadrunners rebounded and outscored the Redhawks 13-10 over the final six minutes, winning their first conference game. The victory diminished any talk of a winless conference campaign.

With a second victory, UTSA will tie Seattle for the ninth place position in the conference. And although the team is without star forward Jeromie Hill (knee injury), the Roadrunners may have a slim chance of playing in the postseason. Unlike the Southland Conference — where only the top eight  for the conference championship — the WAC allows all 10 schools to compete in the tournament. Armed with a guaranteed spot, the men’s team has the rest of the regular season to determine their position in the standings.

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