SAN ANTONIO, Texas - The University of Arkansas at Little Rock snapped a two-game losing streak in a major way Saturday afternoon at the University of Texas at San Antonio. The Trojans led by double figures most of the game and cruised to an 81-64 win at the Convocation Center on the campus of UTSA.
The Trojans (2-2), who led by 10 points at halftime, led by as many 20 in the second half.
Ante Beljan led the Trojans with a career high 21 points and added 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Mwani Wilkinson continued his stellar play with 19 points, 8 rebounds and 4 steals. Isaiah Lewis totaled 16 points, 7 assists and 3 steals and Jonathan Lawson chipped in 15 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists.
The Trojans were 52.7% from the field and a sizzling 50% from the 3-point line hitting 9 of 18. They committed 14 turnovers after the Roadrunners forced 18 in a loss at Bradley this week.
The Trojans held UTSA star Primo Spears, who has scored 1,000 points in three seasons of Division I basketball, to 15.
Little Rock led 36-26 at halftime and grew its lead to 20 with 13 minutes to go in the game, but Spears' layup off a steal cut the deficit to 10 with with 7:30 to go. However, Wilkinson, who was shaken up a few minutes earlier, went on his own 7-0 run to push the advantage back to 17, 70-53, with 6:51 remaining and ended the Roadrunners' threat.
Little Rock controlled the first half holding the lead much of the first 20 minutes. The Trojans built the advantage to as many as 15 with 2:40 left.
UTSA (1-2) took the first lead of the game, but the Trojans grabbed it back with 18:23 to play and didn't let go of it until the 7-minute mark.
Spears put the Roadrunners up 21-20 after a Little Rock turnover. However, Beljan tied the game with 5:59 left, and the Trojans then exploded to a 16-0 run. The two big blows were back-to-back threes by Wilkinson. Both were assisted by Lawson, who found Wilkinson wide open in the corner each time. The second triple gave Little Rock a 29-21 advantage with 4:08 left. Creed Williamson's layup with 2:40 to go capped the run and gave the Trojans their biggest lead (15) of the game.
The Trojans' six-game road swing in half over. They head home for a few days of rest before playing Tulsa next Wednesday and Arkansas on Friday.
