Once again, Temple had a double-digit lead on the road with a chance to beat one of the best teams in the American Athletic Conference.

And once again, the Owls lost the lead, the game and an opportunity to make a statement in the conference standings.

Holding a 14-point lead in the third quarter at first-place UTSA, Temple went on to shoot a paltry 19% in the fourth quarter and lose 70-61 to the Roadrunners Saturday at the Convocation Center.

UTSA, which sits atop the AAC standings with a 9-1 league record and an 18-3 overall record, outscored Temple by 28-10 in the fourth quarter, using a 14-1 run over the last 2 minutes, 47 seconds to put the game away. The Owls, meanwhile, went 0-for-5 and 1 of their last 9 from the floor and could not manage a field goal over the last 3:01 in their fourth-quarter collapse.

UTSA’s Jordyn Jenkins, the AAC’s leading scorer, dropped nine points in the fourth quarter as the Roadrunners stormed back to turn aside the Owls, who managed just one free throw in the game’s final three minutes and shot 3-for-16 in the quarter.

Saturday’s loss, Temple’s third in a row, came just three days after the Owls lost a 19-point lead at North Texas, the American’s second-place team. The two-game Texas road trip was an opportunity for the Owls to knock off the league’s two best teams and get within a half game of first place, but they came up empty on both occasions.

Temple, which dropped to 12-9 overall and into fifth place in the AAC at 6-4 was led by Tiarra East’s 18 points. The Owls’ leading scorer shook off her struggles from the previous two games and shot 7-for-13 from the floor Saturday to go along with five rebounds and three assists. Tarriyonna Gary finished with 17 points, knocking down four threes in the loss.

It was a difficult day for the remainder of the team, however. Aside from East and Gary’s numbers, the rest of the team shot 26% from the field.

Jenkins led UTSA (18-3, 9-1 AAC) in scoring, finishing with 16 points and six rebounds. Forward Idara Udo scored 15 points, while guard Nina De Leon Negron scored 14 and dished out eight assists.

The Owls will look to end their three-game losing streak, their longest of the season, when they return to the Liacouras Center Wednesday to host Memphis at 11 a.m. for Temple’s annual School Day game.

Front page photo by Tim McCall, Temple Athletics.