Jenkins delivers in quarterfinal victory
UTSA senior Jordyn Jenkins scored 20 points and converted a pair of critical layups down the stretch, propelling the No. 4 seed Roadrunners to a spot in the American Athletic Conference tournament semifinals with a 5856 win against No. 5 South Florida on Monday at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth.
UTSA advances to face No. 9 seed East Carolina in the AAC championship game at 6 p.m. Tuesday.
Jenkins hit 9 of 16 shots with six rebounds in 27 minutes off the bench, standing as the only Roadrunners player in double figures. Elyssa Coleman and Kyra White each scored nine points.
Neither team led by more than six points in a matchup with 12 ties and 10 lead changes. Defense controlled most of the game, as UTSA shot 44.4% and the Bulls hit just 30.6%.
Almost the entire first half was played within a three-point margin. UTSA opened the first four-point lead for either side with about three minutes to play before halftime, and South Florida promptly answered with a 7-0 run, taking a 27-25 lead into the break.
South Florida led for most of the third quarter but was held off the board for more than five straight minutes to start the fourth, allowing UTSA to rip off eight straight points for a 49-45 lead. The Bulls never led again, as the Roadrunners held off an attempt to rally behind a jumper from Kyra White, a 3-pointer from Siena Guttadauro and two layups by Jenkins.
South Florida had the ball with a chance to tie in the final 15 seconds, but the Bulls were unable to generate a clean shot, allowing the Roadrunners to hang on.
Monday's result bucked a trend of upsets during the early stages of the tournament. Through the first seven games before UTSA and South Florida took the court, the lower-seeded team won six times. No. 5 South Florida was the lone exception, beating No. 13 Wichita State 69-62 on Sunday.
In Monday's opening game, No. 9 seed East Carolina knocked off No. 1 Tulsa 75-71.
The matchup between UTSA and South Florida on Monday was much more competitive than their previous meeting this season, as the Roadrunners dominated the Bulls 65-42 on Jan. 16 in the Convocation Center.
UTSA built a 10-1 lead in less than three minutes and had a commanding 3716 advantage at halftime. The outcome became a major difference-maker in the league standings, lifting the Roadrunners to the No. 4 seed and an extra bye after both teams finished 10-8 in the league.
The Bulls entered 202324 tabbed as the preseason favorite to win the AAC for the fourth consecutive year, showing the respect the program has earned after reaching seven of the past eight NCAA Tournaments.