Halftime: UTSA leads UTEP 46-38 @ The Convocation Center

This week has the opportunity to be the turning point for the UTSA men’s basketball team, and after one half against the UTEP Miners tonight in the Convocation Center, and the Roadrunners have been playing like they know it.

Fans have been waiting for it all season, but Keaton Wallace and Jhivvan Jackson have finally put together a solid half, each of them is in double-digit scoring already, and has shown, with UTSA leading by eight points at intermission, 46-38. Jackson has continued his hot shooting from last weekend, hitting 3-of-5 for 11 points, and Wallace has gotten it done from everywhere for 12 points of his own.

Leading by as many as 16 points with eight minutes left in the first period, UTSA has looked strong, but the Miners have fought back to bring it close behind their team leaders of Souley Boum (11 points) and Bryson Williams (12 points) for UTEP. The Miners have benefited to this point from the charity stripe, hitting 9-of-12 attempts, but have struggled from a few feet further back, connecting on just 3-of-9 from the perimeter.

As good as Wallace and Jackson have been for UTSA through the first half, the story of the night so far may be the play of freshman guard Jordan Ivy-Curry. “Juice” has only attempted shots from deep, and he’s on fire, draining 3-of-4, including back-to-back threes early in the game, for nine points. Tonight, Ivy-Curry is getting the first start of his collegiate career.

The Miners and the Roadrunners are both 3-5 in Conference USA this season, so this game is an important one for seeding in the conference tournament, as well as just qualifying. There’s 20 more minutes left in this one, and with the top two players this season from each team playing well already, it could come down to which third option plays better.

Catch the second half on ESPN+ if you aren’t already at the game. Come back here afterward for a recap of the action from the Convocation Center at the conclusion of the game.