Box Score HUNTSVILLE, Texas – John Jordan scored 15 points and grabbed six rebounds, but the Texas
A&M-Corpus Christi men's basketball team was unable to overcome a slow start from the field in a 67-59 loss to Sam Houston State on Saturday. Kaheem Ransom led all scorers with 19 points as the Bearkats maintained their hold on second place in the Southland at 10-1.
Rashawn Thomas added 10 points and six assists while dealing with foul trouble in a losing effort for the Islanders, who fell to 12-10 overall and 7-3 in conference action. DeMarcus Gatlin added 14 points and nine rebounds, while Dakarai Henderson knocked down four threes for 12 points for the Bearkats. Michael Holyfield snared 11 rebounds in the win for SHSU.
Early on, both teams started strong defensively, with the Bearkats opening up with a 7-2 lead. But the Islanders responded with a 6-2 run over the next three minutes to cut the deficit to 9-8 at the 9:17 mark. Jordan finished off the rally with a steal and fast-break layup, while Ehab Amin and Jelani Currie both added baskets in the rally.
But the Bearkats came right back, with Paul Baxter drilling a three from the right corner to start a 12-0 run and balloon the lead to 13. Henderson also knocked down a pair of threes in the rally, during which the Islanders went 0-for-7 from the floor. After a pair of Emmanuel Toney free throws, the Bearkats scored the next five points to push the lead to 16. A Thomas layup cut the deficit to 26-12 at the half.
Out of the locker room, the Islanders came out energized, with Thomas leading the way. The big man scored the first five points of the half and added a steal, but was whistled for two quick fouls and had to head to the bench at the 17:48 mark with the home squad trailing 31-17. The teams traded points to a 36-22 score after a Paul Baxter three at the 15:37 mark.
The Islanders then mounted a strong rally, going on an 11-2 run to cut the lead down to five. Brandon Pye delivered a key triple during the rally and Currie posted a tipin and then a three-point play to cap off the run and make it a 38-33 game at the 12:03 mark.
Again, though, the Bearkats got a three-pointer in response, with Baxter draining a triple to get the home squad going. SHSU embarked on a 17-7 run to push the lead back to 15 at 55-40. The Islanders countered with a 9-2 run that was set off by an Amin three to get the lead back down to eight with 3:36 to play. But the Bearkats got a dunk from Holyfield to push the lead back to 10, and the two teams traded points to a 60-50 score with 1:28 left.
The Islanders put a scare in the Bearkats, with a Jordan layup and a pair of Amin free throws getting the lead back to six with 1:11 to play. But Holyfield was able to convert after breaking the press, and that was as close as the Islanders got the rest of the way.
The Islanders will continue their road trip on Monday when they head to Houston for a battle with Houston Baptist. Game time is set for 7 p.m. in Sharp Gym. Yannis Koutroupis will have the call of the game on NewsRadio 1360 KKTX.
