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CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - For last month, the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi women's basketball team saw flashes of brilliance in seven straight games on the road, but could never muster a complete game over four quarters. On Saturday's return to the American Bank Center, the Islanders (5-10, 1-3) beat Northwestern State in nearly every statistical category in a 60-51 victory.
 
Warding off multiple runs by the Lady Demons (7-8, 1-3) in the second half, the Blue and Green connected on a season-high 48.8-percent (20-of-41) of its shots from the field, while assisting on 55-percent (11) of its made baskets.
 
"I thought we maintained our composure," head coach Royce Chadwick said. "We did a good job of staying in our game plan and executing the plays we needed to make on both ends of the court."
 
Brittany Mbamalu matched her season high with five makes from downtown to lead the Blue and Green with 15 points. Emma Young put together one her best performances of her career, recording 12 points, four assists, four rebounds and a pair of steals.
 
After struggling through the first two games of Southland Conference play, allowing 12 3-pointers per outing, the Islanders continued to strong perimeter defense started at Stephen F. Austin, as the Lady Demons were held to just 21-percent from downtown.
 
The Islanders led for 35:03 of Saturday's game, the fourth longest span of the year. Young connected on her first 3-pointer of the day at the 5:04 mark of the first quarter to give the Islanders a one-point lead, an advantage the team would never relinquish.
 
HOLDING OFF THE RUN
The Lady Demons never allowed the Blue and Green to extend the lead to more than 11, before mounting an 8-0 run with six minutes to play, eventually cutting it to two.
 
Late second-half surges by opponents have been the undoing of the Islanders during their seven-game losing skid. On Saturday night, A&M-Corpus Christi put its collective foot down to snap the streak.
 
Young found Uri Jolivette down low to stop the streak, before Mbamalu gave the Islanders some insurance with her fifth 3-pointer at the 2:48 mark. The basket would be the last for the Blue and Green. Erin Willis was clutch, going 4-for-4 at the charity stripe, as the Islanders went 9-of-12 from the line in the final two minutes.
 

If the Raiders are still looking for a QB, we have Emma Young! Up 4 with 4 to play #GoDers pic.twitter.com/5xaWn1Gs46

— Islanders WBB (@IslandersWBB) January 8, 2017

"We didn't do the things we needed to do at Stephen F. Austin," Chadwick added. "We did some of that tonight. We made some passes that had us shaking our head. We didn't hang our head, we played defense and dug it out."
 
STREAKY SHOOTING
>> The Islanders' 48.8-percent from the field was the best outing since a 53-percent performance against Incarnate Word on Feb. 20 of last year.
>> Camesha Davis (4-of-4, 9 pts), Erin Willis (3-of-3, 10 pts) and Tiara Matthews (2-of-2, 4 pts) were perfect on the night. Willis' final tally was a career high.
>>Mbamalu and Young were in double figures for the fourth time this season. It marked the fifth time that a trio of Islanders scored more than 10 points.
 
IRON LADIES
>> Mbamalu showed no signs of fatigue in her fourth game in seven days.
>> Playing 38 minutes, the redshirt-junior came out for just two minutes in the third.
>> The Houston native bested her previous career high of 37 minutes played set against SFA on Thursday night.
>> Young and Willis also crossed the 30-minute threshold at 34 and 31 minutes, respectively.
 
LONG RANGE SHOOTERS
Much of the Islanders' success on Saturday night was attributed to finding Mbamalu open on the perimeter. After a 2-of-9 first half, she stepped up her game to sink a trio of long balls in the second half.
 
"We know that, when she hits one, she's going to hit another one," junior guard Erin Willis said. "When she's in the zone, we know we have to go back to her."
 

Mbamalu ??????????, ties her season high! Up by 5 with two to play. #GoDers pic.twitter.com/FPOAl5iOcg

— Islanders WBB (@IslandersWBB) January 8, 2017

In addition to Mbamalu's efforts, Young matched her career high with a pair of makes from deep. The Islanders notched a season-high seven triples in the contest.
 
BLOCKS AND BOARDS
>> Camesha Davis had a hand in the face of every Lady Demon shooter, finishing with four blocks, tying a career high. Her final rejection came in the dying minutes on a 3-pointer.
>> A&M-Corpus Christi got back in the winning side of the rebounding battle on Saturday with a narrow 31-29 margin.
>> Seven of the nine players in the game snagged down a board.
>> Tiara Matthews tied her career high of seven rebounds. She is averaging 4.5 boards per game in league play, good for second on the team.
 
STAYING HOME
The Islanders return to the Dugan Wellness Center on Wednesday against Southeastern Louisiana at 7 p.m. A&M-Corpus Christi hopes to build on a three-game winning streak against the Lady Lions.
 
STAY SOCIAL
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