’Runners face emotional game
Senior stars Wallace and Jackson unsure if they’ll return for another season
UTSA seniors Jhivvan Jackson and Keaton Wallace are bracing for a rush of emotions this weekend, as the two highest-scoring players in Roadrunners program history may be playing their final games at the Convocation Center.
Both said they haven’t weighed whether they’ll use the extra year of eligibility through a blanket wavier provided by the NCAA in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but each spoke this week about the finality of UTSA’S last scheduled regular season games against UAB at 6 p.m. Friday and 3 p.m. Saturday.
Coach Steve Henson said he doesn’t anticipate either player returning for the 2021-22 season, and UTSA plans to honor Jackson and Wallace during the program’s senior day festivities.
“It’s going to be high emotions, with it being my last two home games,” Wallace said. “I guess it’s just time. Can’t stop time.”
Still, Wallace added that he “really can’t say” whether this weekend’s games will mark his final appearance on UTSA’S home court, wanting to revisit the decision at the end of the year.
UTSA has won seven of its past eight games, and Jackson said he’s working to “stay in the moment,” pushing off thoughts about his next steps until the offseason.
“I’m really just focused on the game,” Jackson said. “I’ve had a great time here, so it’ll be happy emotions. It won’t be any sad emotions, for sure.”
Henson said he’ll “probably be as emotional as anybody” come senior day, reflecting on how Jackson and Wallace “helped us turn this thing around and got the attention of everybody around the country and around our league.”
The coaching staff’s conversations with Jackson and Wallace about returning have been “brief,” Henson said, but the Roadrunners approached recruiting and scholarship allotment as if neither player will be on the roster next year.
“We’re moving forward as if they will not be back, but there is that possibility,” Henson said. “They’ve accomplished so much, I anticipate they’re ready to move on. They love it here, and we’re glad they do, and we love having them here, but they both have sights set on winning a bunch more games here and going and playing professionally.”
Jackson ranks as UTSA’S career leader with 2,481 points and 352 made 3-pointers, while Wallace
is second in both categories with 1,964 points and 331 converted 3s.
Wallace said he and Jackson have been roommates all four years at UTSA, bonding through hours of extra shooting.
“We both had a plan, and we both had a goal when we first got here,” Wallace said. “Once we stepped on the court, we were locked in. We were in the gym together. We were with each other 24/7. So that relationship is going to live on forever.”
The Roadrunners’ recent hot streak has the team optimistic about the Conference USA tournament, set for March 9-13 in Frisco.
Henson said UTSA was disappointed to cancel last weekend’s matchups at Charlotte, adding that the Roadrunners considered pushing the games back or playing only once but “just couldn’t make it happen” because of winter weather conditions.
Many of the Roadrunners were impacted by the area’s water and power outages. Jackson and Wallace said finding food became a chore through the week, as everything in their refrigerator went bad and fast food lines often extended for hours.
Jackson said he and junior Cedrick Alley crashed with sophomore
Artan Jabbar, bringing their televisions and video game systems to try to make the most of a quiet time.
The Roadrunners were off Monday through Thursday last week and returned for practices Friday and Saturday. Wallace said the group was “a little winded” after the time away, and Jackson said the Roadrunners initially had “heavy legs.”
Henson said the Friday and Saturday sessions “weren’t very sharp,” but UTSA rebounded with a “really good one” Monday and “maybe the best practice we’ve had all year” on Tuesday.
The Roadrunners (12-9, 8-6 CUSA) say they aren’t expecting any rust Friday against UAB (18-5, 10-4), which enters tied for second place in the Conference USA West standings.
“We feel right where we left off,” Wallace said. “It shouldn’t be any drop-off.”