Year three of the Brooks Thompson era saw the UTSA men's basketball program enjoy its most successful season in more than half a decade.

The Roadrunners posted a 19-13 record, the most victories since the 2003-04 season, won a school-record nine non-conference games and advanced to the Southland Conference Tournament Championship Game for the first time since 2004. UTSA also got off to the second-best 15-game start - 10-5 - in school annals and registered six road victories, two more than the previous two seasons combined.

So, what's in store for year four?

Thompson, who has guided the program to six-win improvements in each of the past two campaigns, welcomes back 10 letterwinners, including a trio of starters in the All-Southland guard tandem of senior Omar Johnson and junior Devin Gibson and senior forward Josh Bonney. That group will join forces with four newcomers on what is UTSA's most-experienced roster during Thompson's tenure.

UTSA will have to replace two of its top four scorers from a year ago in all-conference forward Travis Gabbidon and guard Joey Shank, two-year starters that both graduated this past summer, but Thompson has a bevy of experienced players that will look to fill the void.

With Gibson and Johnson leading the way, UTSA arguably will put one of the league's best backcourts on the floor.

Gibson, a two-time All-Southland selection, averaged 12.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 3.0 steals per game, which ranked third in the NCAA. The 2007-08 Southland Freshman of the Year was the top scorer in 10 games and earned All-SLC Tournament accolades after averaging 17.5 points per contest in the Roadrunners' memorable run to the championship game.

Johnson, an honorable mention all-conference pick in his first season with the Roadrunners, scored 12.6 points per game, which was tied for the team lead, and dished out 130 assists (4.2 apg) in logging a team-best 33.5 minutes per contest. The Philadelphia native shot 40 percent (52-130) from behind the 3-point line and tallied 58 thefts (1.9 spg) on the year.

Seniors Chris Allen and Morris Smith IV, who played in all 32 games with 18 starts, also return. Allen was one of the top contributors off the bench, averaging 5.3 points per game and posting 53 rebounds, 27 assists and 13 steals. Smith IV emerged as one of the league's top outside shooting threats, draining 59 3-pointers while scoring 9.0 points per outing.

Freshman Melvin Johnson III, a 6-5 Dallas native, averaged 23.0 points and 4.5 rebounds to help Humble Christian Life Center Academy prep school win the 2009 National Association of Christian Athletes Boys Elite Division I Championship.

Sophomore Sei Paye, a Houston native who appeared in five games a year ago, and junior Chip Ivany, who sat out last season after transferring from South Alabama, also will look to contribute in the backcourt.

The graduation of Gabbidon, who led the Roadrunners in scoring (12.6 ppg) and rebounding (6.4 rpg), leaves a huge void at the power forward position, but seniors Terry Fields and Leslie Jackson saw plenty of action last season.

Fields, 6-7, registered 53 points, including nine in the season opener at Oklahoma State, and 34 boards in 13 contests in his first year with the Roadrunners.

Jackson, a 6-4 Bryan native who also can play guard, appeared in 23 games as a junior and posted 45 points and 73 rebounds, including a season-high nine against Texas State.

Junior transfer Stephen Franklin will look to have an immediate impact in the frontcourt. The 6-6 Aurora, Colo., native averaged 13.8 points on 52.4-percent shooting and 6.1 rebounds last season at College of Eastern Utah and earned second-team All-Region 18 accolades.

UTSA's most experienced position may be at center, where the senior trio of Bonney, Richie Frohlich and Demarco Stepter all return.
Bonney started all 32 games and averaged 5.8 points while shooting a team-best 60.3 percent from the floor. He grabbed 4.5 rebounds per game overall and registered 5.1 per contest in league play.

Frohlich posted 50 points and 43 boards in 19 games, including a 14-point, 10-rebound outing against UT Arlington. Stepter average 6.0 points and 5.6 rebounds in 27 games and registered four double-doubles during the season.