CORPUS CHRISTI, TEX. --- Ricky Minard paced three players in
double figures as Morehead State cruised to a 98-88 victory over
Texas
A&M-Corpus Christi, Saturday evening at Circle K Court.
The junior nearly missed the first ever triple double against
the Islanders, connecting on 8 of 13 shots from the floor in a
21-point,
9-rebound, 8-assist, 4-steal evening. Anton Kerley and Kyle Hankins
added
17 and 16 points respectively in the victory.
Morehead State, 3-2 on the season, put the game away in the
opening moments of the second half. A lay-up by Kerley at the 17:25
mark
sparked a 17-4 run as the Eagles built an insurmountable 65-49 lead
with a
little under 14 minutes remaining. The lead grew too as many as 21
at 87-66 with 3:47 left.
Trailing by 21, the Islanders made the game a little more
respectable with a 22-11 run to close the game. Thomas Bailey (San
Antonio,Tex.) knocked down three three-pointers during that stretch
including converting a rare four-point play. The junior settled for
a 22-point eveningon 9-17 shooting. That broke his former career
high of 17 set last season against UT-Pan American.
Brian Evans (Dallas, Tex.) added a 13-point, 7-assist evening,
while Corey Lamkin (San Antonio, Tex.) and Travis Bailey (San
Antonio, Tex.)each chipped in 12 points. Derrick Murphy (Country
Club Hills, Ill.) was the fifth Islander to break double figures
with 10 points and a team-leading 8 rebounds.
A&M-CC, now 2-4, led for a greater portion of the first
half.
Trailing 34-33 with 5:27 left, Morehead State took the lead for
good on a
lay-up by Kerley with 4:33 left. MSU went into the intermission
leading
48-43.
The Eagles� offense torched the Islander defense. MSU hit 33
of
53 (.623) shots from the field including 18 of its first 28 tries
in the
first half. A&M-CC settled to shoot .420 (29-69) from the
field.
The game featured 54 fouls and 49 turnovers.
A&M-CC will return to action, December 14 at LSU.
