The Ride of March 2011: Part 2

Free 30-Days | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram

Contact Us | Refer-a-friend Promo

EDITORS NOTE: This is the second installment of a seven part series looking back at the 2010-11 Roadrunner men's basketball team and their unlikely run to an NCAA Tournament berth

The Ride of March Series: Part 1

UTSA entered the first week of March 2011--which also happened to be the final week of the regular season--with an overall record of 14-13 and a 7-7 mark in the Southland Conference. The Roadrunners had ended February with a loss in San Marcos to Texas State.

That loss to Texas State had prevented UTSA from sweeping the season series with their I-35 rivals and also cost the Roadrunners a chance at going into the final week of the season with more of a cushion in terms of their status for the conference tournament.

The Roadrunners entered their final home game against Central Arkansas on March 2 knowing they would need to win that night to set up any chance at clinching a tournament spot in the season finale at UT Arlington.

UTSA had an added incentive to beat Central Arkansas on the 175th anniversary of Texas Independence. It was to be the last time that Devin Gibson played in the white Roadrunner uniform on the floor of the Convocation Center.

On Wednesday March 2, 2011 the Roadrunners welcomed the Central Arkansas Bears to the Convocation Center. There were 1204 fans who made their way into the Convo that night to see the Roadrunners and Bears in UTSA's final home game of the season.

UTSA and Central Arkansas were two teams going in opposite directions. The Roadrunners entered with hopes of earning a spot in the Southland conference tournament. The Bears were making their final road trip of the season, knowing they wouldn't be making a trip to Katy as they were still in a transition phase from Division II to Division I.

Even if Central Arkansas wasn't in their transition phase they wouldn't have been heading to Katy, Texas in 2011. The Bears entered the game against UTSA with a 5-22 record overall and 1-13 in conference play. Central Arkansas was 0-13 on the road as they got off the bus in front of the Convocation Center. The Bears had also not won in their two previous trips to face the Roadrunners in San Antonio.

It didn't take long for UTSA to take the drama out of the game. Devin Gibson opened the game with a fast break layup just 88 seconds into the game. A minute later Jeromie Hill put the Roadrunners up 4-0. UTSA would build their lead to as high as 12 in the first half and a peak of 13 in the second half. The Roadrunners never trailed against the Bears and coasted to a 70-58 win.

Gibson finished his final game at home with 18 points and two different numbers. In the first half Gibson got hit in the head by a Central Arkansas Bear and had to come out of the game to get a bandage for his forehead. Gibson also had to change his jersey as his number 21 had gotten blood on it. Gibson played his final half in the Convocation Center wearing number 10. Melvin Johnson led the Roadrunners with 20 points.

At 8-7 the Roadrunners moved into a three-way tie for sixth with Nicholls State and Southeastern Louisiana. Elsewhere in the conference that night the top teams in both divisions, McNeese State and Texas State lost. By the end of March 2 there was also a three-way tie for third at 9-6 between Sam Houston, Stephen F. Austin and Northwestern State.

The only team who had been 7-7 at the start of March 2 and lost was the UT Arlington Mavericks. The conference schedule had UTSA going to face UT Arlington in the regular season finale on March 5.

The Roadrunners traveled to Arlington on March 5, 2011 knowing they had to beat the UT Arlington Mavericks to make the conference tournament. A loss in Arlington would mean the end of the Roadrunners season and snap a streak of consecutive years making the Southland tournament.

If the Roadrunners could beat UT Arlington on the road it would not only punch their ticket to the Merrell Center in Katy it would snap a four game losing streak on the stage at Texas Hall in Arlington. Prior to March 5, 2011 the Roadrunners last win in Arlington had been a 74-71 win on February 16, 2006.

UTSA entered the game with a 15-13 overall record and 8-7 in conference play. UT Arlington had the opposite record as they were 13-15 overall and 7-8 in conference play.

In what became the Roadrunners final trip to Texas Hall (UTSA would be the opponent to open Arlington's new arena in February 2012) the Roadrunners got off to a fast start and led UT Arlington 18-8. The Roadrunners then went on a scoring drought of 8:47 as UT Arlington took a 19-18 lead. The Mavericks continued to add to their lead and took a 34-24 lead into the halftime break and it appeared the Roadrunners dreams of a trip to Katy would be derailed in Arlington.

Melvin Johnson had other ideas. Though the Dallas native had been limited to five points in the first half he erupted for 16 points in the second half to lead the Roadrunners with 21 points. Johnson sparked a 13-4 run by UTSA to start the second half.

Jeromie Hill scored 16 points for the Roadrunners, six of those coming on back-to-back threes in the second half to get UTSA to within one point, 48-47 of UT Arlington. On the Roadrunners next possession Sei Paye scored his only points of the night on a three to give UTSA their first lead since early in the first half.

Devin Gibson helped keep his Roadrunner career alive with 17 points including a turnaround jumper with 44 seconds left that gave UTSA a four point lead.

UTSA eventually held on for a 68-63 win to punch their ticket to the Southland Tournament.

The results of that final Saturday of the season fell in such a way that UTSA would enter the tournament as the seven seed. They would face Northwestern State in the first quarterfinal game at noon on Wednesday March 9.

UTSA was dancing in Katy, one of eight teams in the Southland with a chance at getting a ticket to the big NCAA dance. Who that final Southland team might be was to be determined between March 9 and March 12. Even though UTSA had beaten Northwestern State earlier in the season, few pundits would have thought UTSA would be that last team.

Most didn't think the Roadrunners would even be in Katy by the time the sun set on March 9.

Next up: The Ride of March Part 3 -- Roadrunners notch their first upset of the Southland Conference Tournament

FORUMS: UTSA Boulevard | Roadrunner Way