The Texas A&M-Corpus Christi women's basketball team heads
to the mountains for a pair of road games this Thursday and
Saturday night. The Islanders face Utah Valley State on Thursday
night at 8:05 at the McKay Center and Northern Colorado on Saturday
at eight at the Butler-Hancock Sports Pavilion. Both times are
central.
Thursday's meeting with the Wolverines (9-13) is the first this
season between the two schools. Utah Valley is undergoing a youth
movement this season with three freshmen among its top four
scorers. Newcomer Robyn Fairbanks leads the Wolverines in scoring
and rebounding with 17.6 points a game and 8.9 rebounds. Fellow
freshmen Sandy Marvin and Hollie Beaman, who leads the team with 96
assists, are second and fourth on the team in scoring with 10.9
p.p.g. and 9.3 p.p.g., respectively. Senior Miriam Palkki is
scoring 10.8 a game.
The only time the two teams have met previously was in the first
round of last year's Independent Tournament at Utah Valley. The
Islanders, who won the title, jumped out to a 35-10 halftime lead
which is the fewest points allowed in a half in the program's
history and won 66-43. Terra Andrews led A&M-Corpus Christi
with 14 points, while Kirbria Lewis added 13 and Nicole Duncan 10.
Jackie Ododa had a game-high 10 rebounds. Kelci Naihe led the
Wolverines with eight points.
On Saturday, the Islanders will face Northern Colorado, who spoiled
the team's Homecoming earlier this month winning 63-62 on a
controversial basket by Jabrenta Hubbard, who finished with eight
points, at the buzzer. Andrews was the lone scorer in double digits
for A&M-Corpus Christi with 17, while Danielle Hagen led a trio
of Bears in double digits with 16. It was the Islanders first loss
to the Bears in four meetings.
The Bears, who play at Denver on Thursday, are 12-11. They are led
in scoring by Hubbard's 13.3 points and Heather Harbour's 11.6
points. Three Northern Colorado players have hit 31-or-more
three-point baskets led by Jena Fosdick's 41 treys. Hagen is the
top rebounder with 6.4 again.
