For the
second-straight year, the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi men's
basketball team won the Flint Hills Resources Islander Classic by
taking a 71-57 victory over Brown. Cedric Smith, who scored a total of 30
points in both games, was named the tournament's Most Valuable
Player for the second time in as many years.
For the
second-straight game, the Islanders (8-4) dominated the glass,
out-rebounding Brown 33-15 and scored 40 points in the paint. Three players scored in
double-figures with Engelken, who was named to the All-Tournament
team, putting up 14 points, while Daniels, who joined Smith and
Engelken on the All-Tournament team, put up 10.
Daniels tied the
school record for blocks in a season with 86 and joins Thomas
Bailey, who played four seasons with the Islanders on the all-time
list. Daniels finished
5-of-5 from the field with one block and two rebounds.
A&M-Corpus
Christi started the game on a 14-5 run and never looked back. With less than 10 minutes to
play in the first half, Brown went over four minutes without
scoring a point, which allowed the Islanders to score
eight-straight points, giving them a 36-23 advantage. They would eventually take a 43-30
lead into the half.
The Bears scored
the first two points of the second half, but wouldn't score again
until the 15:18 mark and by that time the Islanders led 49-32. A&M-Corpus Christi broke the
game open and led by as many as 21 with 8:44 to play after Josh
Washington hit a 3-pointer, giving the Islanders a 62-41
advantage.
Brown used a 12-2
run to cut the Islander lead to nine with 1:10 to go thanks to a 4
minute and 55 second scoring drought by A&M-Corpus
Christi. The Bears would
come no closer as the Islanders claimed their fourth Flint Hills
Resources Islander Classic championship in the past seven
years.
Scooby Johnson had
a season-high 10 rebounds and for the second-straight game the
Islanders shot over 50 percent from the field.
A&M-Corpus
Christi will remain at home when it hosts
Kent State on Jan. 2 at 7 p.m. in the American Bank Center.
