Islanders Challenge Texas State Monday

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – On the road for the second consecutive game, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi heads to San Marcos to challenge Texas State Monday night at 7 p.m.
 
The Islanders (2-0) rank as one of the most potent scoring offenses, averaging 104.5 points through the first two games. That mark ranks the Blue and Green third in the nation in points per game.
 
A&M-Corpus Christi also ranks third in steals and turnovers forced on the defensive side of the ball. The Islanders average 13.5 steals per game, led by Ehab Amin who averages four per contest and ranks fourth in the country.
 
THE BREAK
• The Islanders and Bobcats meet for the 16th time on the hardwood with A&M-Corpus Christi holding a 9-6 lead in the series.
• In last season's meeting, the Islanders won a defensive struggle by a 47-39 final at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi.
• Rashawn Thomas put up 17 points and grabbed 19 boards in the meeting to lead all participants.
• A&M-Corpus Christi is looking for its first 3-0 start since the 2006-07 Southland Championship team, the only other in program history to accomplish the feat.
 
OFFENSIVE OPENING
• The Islanders ran up 115 points onto the scoreboard at the American Bank Center Friday night in a 115-100 win over Our Lady of the Lake.
• The 115 points were the second most in program history.
• A&M-Corpus Christi followed with a 94-point performance at UTRGV last Wednesday night.
• The Islanders have shot over 50-percent from the floor in each game.
 
KILGORE KING AT RGV
• Wednesday was a career night for junior Joseph Kilgore as the guard poured in 31 points against the rival Vaqueros.
• Kilgore racked up the career-high 31 by getting to the rim, scoring 18 from inside the paint. That total outscored all Vaqueros combined in the paint.
• His aggressive play also resulted in 11 trips to the free throw line where Kilgore added another eight points.
• Prior to the 31-point outburst, Kilgore's previous career-best was a 17-point effort against St. Edward's in 2015.
• Kilgore broke or tied eight career highs in the victory.
 
SCOUTING TEXAS STATE
 
The Bobcats are returning home after a opening week tournament in Hawaii. Texas State went 2-1 at the Outrigger Resorts Rainbow Classic, defeating Florida Atlantic and SIU-Edwardsville while falling to host Hawaii.
 
Kavin Gilder-Tilbury averages 20 points per game to lead the Bobcats in scoring. He also leads Texas State in rebounding pulling down eight per game. Freshman guard Nijal Pearson adds 18 points per contest as the only other Bobcat averaging double-digits.
 
The Bobcats have been especially dangerous from beyond the arc through three games, hitting 42-percent of their three-point attempts. Gilder-Tilbury leads the team, hitting nine of his 18 attempts on the season. As a team, Texas State ranks 34th in 3-point field goal percentage.
 
Defensively, the Bobcats are holding opponents to 63 points per contest.
 
RETURNING HOME
 
The Islanders return to the American Bank Center Wednesday night to face Jarvis Christian at 7:30 p.m. The matchup is part of a doubleheader with women's basketball, who faces Montana Tech at 5:30 p.m.