Storm fall at DI Texas-San Antonio

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Despite shooting 50.0 percent from the field Southeastern was unable to keep pace in the second half as Division I Texas-San Antonio pulled away over the second 20 minutes to hand the Savage Storm an 88-69 loss on Saturday afternoon in San Antonio, Texas.

The loss drops the Savage Storm to 4-6 on the season heading into its longest midseason break with its next contest slated for Jan. 5 in Russellville, Ark., at Arkansas Tech at 7:30 p.m.

Gianpalo Riccio turned in his season-best performance with 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting with a 4-of-6 effort from behind the arc.

Jett Jobe added 12 points in the effort while Jose Libanio chipped in 10.

Kevin Buckingham added nine points with a pair of threes and led the way with five assists to trigger the offense while Jobe and Riccio added three apiece.

Buckingham also led the way with eight rebounds while Tyler Lonzie and Riccio were next in line with four.

SE took a 5-0 lead out of the gate and maintained its lead until the 15:46 mark, but after trading the edge on back to back buckets UTSA would take over and lead by as many as seven.

The Storm would make a run and close to 24-23 on a Marti Fonolla three with 7:56 to go in the half.

UTSA would make an 18-8 run, but a Riccio three right before the half would make the Storm gap 42-34.

Southeastern would close the gap to just five points early in the second, but the Roadrunners would answer by pushing the lead beyond 20 points before SE closed the final deficit to 88-69.