Box Score CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – The Texas A&M-Corpus Christi men's basketball team rebounded from a pair of road losses to defeat visiting St. Edward's 78-50 Monday night at the American Bank Center.
RELATED: Box Score (pdf) | Box Score (xml) | Postgame Interviews | Highlights | Photos
"It wasn't pretty. It was a grind," Head Coach Willis Wilson said. "This time of the year, you aren't going to see a lot of pretty basketball. Our team really played gritty, especially on the defensive side of the basketball."
The Islanders used a 13-4 run to end the first half to take a 35-22 lead into the break. Sophomore Joe Kilgore scored five points during the stretch to pull A&M-Corpus Christi ahead late in the frame.
The spurt continued as the Islanders scored the first 10 points of the second half. A layup by Rashawn Thomas started things off before Jelani Currie and Hameed Ali hit back-to-back threes and Kilgore finished off a drive to make it 45-22 just four minutes into the second.
The Hilltoppers chipped away, and got their deficit down to just 11 points, at 53-42, but Ali put a stop to that as he answered a St. Edward's three-pointer with one of his own.
Ali continued his one-man run, ultimately scoring 13 of the Islanders' 19 points in a 19-2 spurt that extended A&M-Corpus Christi's lead back to 25 points, at 72-44.
"I was really pleased to see Hameed Ali step up and knock down shots," Wilson said. "That's important for a point guard to be able to knock down open looks and get the ball to the middle of the floor so we can distribute the ball. I was really pleased with that."
The Islanders continued to cruise to the 78-50 victory. A&M-Corpus Christi improved to 2-2 on the season, while St. Edward's dropped to 4-2.
PYE ON FIRE TO START
• The senior knocked down three from beyond the arc in the first half to lead the Islanders with 11 points through 20 minutes.
• Pye is sixth all-time at A&M-Corpus Christi with 115 career three-pointers.
• The Mansfield, Texas native finished with a game-high 17 points for the game.
"I thought Brandon Pye was another key factor for us. When he shoots the ball well we tend to be a lot more confident."
- Willis Wilson
KILGORE STEPS UP OFF THE BENCH
Kilgore has had a very solid start to his sophomore season, scoring at least five points in all four contests, but Monday was his best effort yet. The high flyer scored a career high 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field, added nine rebounds and blocked one shot. Kilgore is now averaging 10.3 points per game off the bench.
"Joe's really been coming on. He just keeps getting better and better everyday. He's starting to play with more aggression and beginning to assert himself."
- Willis Wilson
DEFENSIVE EFFORT A KEY
• The Islanders held the Hilltoppers down on the defensive end, allowing just .288 field goal percentage for the game.
• A&M-Corpus Christi also held St. Edward's to .238 shooting from beyond the arc.
• The Blue and Green forced the Hilltoppers into 16 turnovers and picked up 12 steals for the game.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
The Islanders return to the road this week, continuing play in the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament at Elon Thursday and Friday. They will take on Furman on Thanksgiving Day at 4:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. CT and then play either Elon or Mount St. Mary's Friday.
STAY SOCIAL
To keep up with everything Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Men's Basketball, follow the Islanders on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
