Women's Basketball travels south for UTRGV Tournament

EDINBURG, Texas -- Following a tight seven-point loss to Texas State this past Monday, the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi women's basketball program (2-2, 0-0 Southland) aims to rebound as they enter the UTRGV Tournament this weekend, facing Louisiana-Lafayette (2-3, 0-0 Sun Belt) on Friday afternoon before turning around Saturday and battling Prairie View A&M (2-1, 0-0 SWAC). All-time, the Islanders own a 1-0 advantage against the Ragin' Cajuns, knocking them off early in the 2002-03 season with a 64-42 home victory.

Opponent: Louisiana-Lafayette
Date: Friday, Nov. 30
Time: 4:30 p.m.
Location: UTRGV Fieldhouse | Edinburg, Texas
Live Stats: HERE
Live Audio: HERE
Tickets: HERE


Meanwhile, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi owns a slightly-more storied history with Prairie View A&M, facing off against the Panthers on seven occasions since 1999. The initial six matchups all took place before 2004 with the Islanders racking up a 5-1 record during that span; last season, though, both programs renewed the non-conference battle at the UTRGV Tournament, resulting in the Islanders furthering their historical dominance behind a 10-point win. 

Opponent: Prairie View A&M
Date: Saturday, Dec. 1
Time: 4:30 p.m.
Location: UTRGV Fieldhouse | Edinburg, Texas
Live Stats: HERE
Live Audio: HERE
Tickets: HERE

• Royce Chadwick enters his seventh season leading Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and 35th overall year as head coach, sporting a 645-404 record.
• The Islanders 19-win season last year marked Chadwick's best finish with A&M-Corpus Christi since his arrival in 2012.
• The team sports three lone seniors: F Uri Jolivette, G Brianna Jackson and G Tasia Foman.
• This year's roster is highlighted by four newcomers, as juniors Alexes Bryant and Arhianna Sims-Jackson transferred from junior colleges while freshmen Torrionna Nesbitt and Makinna Serrata signed on directly from high school.
• This season's depth chart features 11 players from across the state of Texas, and one from each of the following: Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Kentucky and California.
• The Islanders were picked fifth in the Southland Conference Preseason Poll.
• Texas A&M-Corpus Christi returns four of last season's five starters, including senior F Uri Jolivette and juniors G/F Emma Young, G Dae Dae Evans and F Dalesia Booth.

Following the pair of tournament games over the weekend, the Islanders return to Corpus Christi for the first of a five-game home stretch on Tuesday, Dec. 4, hosting rival UT-Rio Grande Valley at 7 p.m. in the American Bank Center in the latter half of the South Texas Showdown, presented by NavyArmy Community Credit Union.

For more information on Islanders Women's Basketball, keep up with the team via their Facebook page (Islanders Women's Basketball) and follow the program on Twitter (@IslandersWBB) and Instagram (@IslandersWBB). You can watch Islander home games and listen to road broadcasts on the Islander Digital Network, powered by AEP Texas.