Friday Night Hoops

Game #8: Texas A&M-Corpus Christi vs. St. Mary's (Tx.)
Location: American Bank Center • 7 p.m.
Broadcast: Islanders Digital Network
Tickets: GoIslanders.com/Tickets or (361) 825-BALL
 
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi returns to the Coastal Bend following a pair of road losses last week. The Islanders are looking to avoid their first three-game skid since 2014 as the Blue and Green hosts the Rattlers of St. Mary's Friday night.
 
The two schools have never officially met, but did play an exhibition last season. The Islanders won that meeting 94-63. Ehab Amin scored 14 against the Rattlers, leading all returners.
 
BOUNCING BACK
• The Islanders look to get back in the win column against the Rattlers Friday night.
• A&M-Corpus Christi has not lost three consecutive games since dropping four in-a-row from November 29 - December 17, 2014.
• Three times in 2015-16 the Islanders dropped back-to-back games, but each time the Blue and Green bounced back with victories.
 
DOUBLE DIGITS DOWN LOW
• Forward Rashawn Thomas has been a scoring machine for Islanders in 2016.
• At 15.6 points per game, Thomas leads the Islanders in scoring and ranks sixth in the league.
• In each of the seven games the Islanders have played this season, Thomas has scored in double figures and has twice led the Blue and Green in scoring.
• In the loss at Cal Poly, Thomas recorded a season-high 24 points.
 
ON THE GLASS
• Texas A&M-Corpus Christi has outrebounded its opponents in six of its seven games this season and is 4.3 on the boards this season. That mark ranks second in the Southland.
• The Islanders outrebounded Texas A&M 39-31 on Monday.
• Rashawn Thomas ranks 60th in the country with 8.9 boards per game.
 
BLOCK ISLAND
• The Islanders rank 12th nationally with 6.4 blocked shots per game. They also rank fourth in block percentage, rejecting 18.6-percent of opponent's two-point field goal attempts.
• Rashawn Thomas averages 2.9 blocked shots per contest to sit 20th nationally.
 
RECORD TIME?
• A peak at the record book will find Rashawn Thomas just three rejections away from breaking the all-time record.
• Thomas is averaging 2.9 blocks per game this season, so Friday may be a record-breaking night in the American Bank Center.
 
UP NEXT
 
Following Friday night's bout, the Islanders have eight days off before returning to action against UTSA on Sunday, Dec. 18. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. at the American Bank Center for the showdown with the Roadrunners.