One Shot Short

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A crowd of 2,472 at Corpus Christi Athletic Club Court at the American Bank Center saw Texas A&M-Corpus Christi take Southland frontrunner Lamar to the wire before the Cardinals hit back-to-back threes in the final 1:14 to halt the Islanders' upset bid in a 77-72 game.
 
Joseph Kilgore posted the first double-double of the season for the Blue and Green, pouring in 23 points and corralling 10 boards to lead the Islanders (3-9, 0-2 SLC). Sean Rhea went for a career high for a second consecutive game to start Southland play as the freshman dropped 17 on Saturday.
 
For Lamar (10-5, 2-0 SLC), Colton Weisbrod and Josh Nzeakor recorded double-doubles with Weisbrod going for 26 points and 14 rebounds to lead the game in both categories.
 
In a back and forth first half, neither team led by more than five until Lamar used a 6-0 run to build a 31-23 edge with 2:32 to play. The Cardinals would take a 35-29 advantage to the locker room despite the Islanders holding a 10-shot edge in the half.
 
Five quick points from Colin Hale in a 20-second span sparked the Islanders to a second half run and a 49-44 lead. Following a long rebound, Hale raced down the court for an easy lay-in before getting a steal and another fast break bucket on the next possession. The and-one opportunity gave Hale all five of his points in the short span. The sophomore also added a career-high five rebounds in the effort.

??????

Colin with the steal, the finish and the & ??!! ???? lead 48-44 #GoDers pic.twitter.com/eIHjPzbHTM

— Islanders MBB (@IslandersMBB) December 31, 2017

 
The second half also feature Rhea and Kilgore both going for double digits. Rhea scored 11 of his career-best 17 in the back half and pulled down six of his seven boards. Kilgore, meanwhile, dropped 13 to finish with 23 for a second-straight game.
 
With 1:37 to play in the game, Rhea went strong to the hole, earning a bucket and a foul to give the Islanders a 72-71 lead. Nick Garth answered with a three for Lamar on the other end and Corpus Christi saw five shots miss the mark before the Cardinals iced the game with three late free throws.
 
YOUNG GUNS
 
>> Both Colin Hale and Sean Rhea set career highs in the loss.
>> A sophomore, Hale grabbed a career best five rebounds to improve his mark of three from Wednesday night.
>> Rhea's 17 points topped his 16-point day at UCA on Wednesday.
 
CONSISTENT KILGORE
 
The ever-solid senior recorded double digits for a 12th-straight game to open the season. His double-double was the first of the year for the Islanders.
 
UP NEXT
 
The middle showing of a three-game homestand features Northwestern State on Corpus Christi Athletic Club Court at the American Bank Center on Wednesday, January 3 in a 7 p.m. tip.