AUSTIN - Kevin Palmer scored 23 of his season-high 28 points in
the second half and Demond Watt recorded his second double-double
of the year, but it wasn't enough to pull off the upset of
second-ranked Texas Saturday at the Erwin Center as the Islanders
fell 76-70.
The final margin was the closest of the season for the Longhorns
who had won their first 12 games by double digits including
victories over Michigan State (11) and North Carolina. Texas, which
is now 13-0, had a scoring margin of positive 28.4 points entering
the game.
The Islanders dropped to 5-7 with the loss. They will get
another chance to defeat a nationally-ranked team on Monday. The
Seminoles entered the past week ranked 22nd. It will be the first
time the Islanders have faced back-to-back nationally-ranked teams
in the program's history. The game is slated for a 6 p.m. start
central time.
"I thought our team executed the things that we wanted to do,"
said Islander head coach Perry Clark. "We tried to keep the ball
out of the middle, tried to not allow them second chance shots, and
we tried to keep them out of transition. I thought we were fairly
successful with a lot of those in the second half."
The game was tight early in the first half with freshman Terence
Jones hitting a three-point bucket with 12:42 remaining in the
period. The three gave the Islanders a 13-11 lead.
Texas responded taking the lead for good with an 18-0 run
powered by its bench following a media timeout to take a 29-13 lead
with 7:15 to go. Back-to-back three-point baskets by reserves Jai
Lucas and Jordan Hamilton started the run. Lucas hit a second trey
with eight minutes left in the half to make it 26-13. Hamilton
netted seven points in the run. The Longhorn bench outscored the
Islander reserves 40-6.
The Islanders battled back with Palmer and Marcus Hammonds
hitting a pair of three-point buckets to make it a 9-point game
with 1:20 left in the half.
Hamilton, who finished with 17 points, responded with a three
with 1:07 remaining.
Trailing 43-29 early in the second half after a pair of Dexter
Pittman free throws, Horace Bond dunked to cap a fastbreak and
start a 9-1 run. Palmer warmed up during the run converting a
conventional three-point play as he was fouled on a dunk after a
steal by Watt. He then strained a three with 16:28 remaining to
make it 44-38 with 16:28.
The Islander upset hopes took a below 30 seconds later as Palmer
picked up his fourth foul.
With the team's leading scorer on the bench, Texas looked to
pull away on two separate occasions. First, on a dunk by Pittman
that pushed Texas back into an 11-point lead, 49-38. However, the
Islanders cut it back to six with 12:38 remaining on the second
three of the game by Marcus Hammonds.
A mini 10-2 run by Texas - helped by a pair of TAMUCC turnovers
- extended the Islander deficit to 14, 59-45, with 8:44 left.
"I thought the key part of the game was when we got it down to
six and then we turned the ball over two times in a row," said
Clark. "I don't know what happened, I just know that we were
dribbling and all of a sudden the ball was going the other way. If
we had gotten a basket there, it would have given the game a whole
new perspective."
Palmer returned to the contest and promptly cut into the
deficit. He went on a personal 7-2 run to make it a 61-52 game with
6:23 left. Palmer would score 17 points in the final 8:11.
Brown's three from the left corner with less than five to go,
pushed the Islander deficit to 69-56 with 4:50 left.
The resilient Islanders continued fighting with Palmer's bucket
with 1:10 remaining making it an eight-point game, but Avery
Bradley sank a pair of free throws with 55 seconds left.
The Islanders had a last gasp with 36 seconds left as Palmer was
fouled driving to the hoop. The bucket fell but he was unable to
convert the three-point play. Watt grabbed the rebound and
converted the put-back with 36 seconds left. The basket made it a
6-point game.
TAMUCC promptly fouled but Hamilton hit a pair of foul shots to
seal the win.
For the game the Islanders overcame 25 turnovers by winning the
battle on the boards 47-37. Aside from Watt's 13, Palmer added six.
Justin Reynolds and Hammonds each had five. Joining Palmer and Watt
in double figure points was Jones with 11.
The Islanders also outshot Texas from the floor 37.1% to
35.4%.
Pittman led Texas with 18 points, while Hamilton had 17. James
finished with a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. He,
who had nine offensive rebounds, was 4-of-13 from the floor.
