Islanders Matchup With Top-Two Teams In SLC

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - Texas A&M-Corpus Christi heads into one of its most challenging weeks of the regular season this Wednesday and Saturday, facing off with Stephen F. Austin and Lamar respectively.

The Blue and Green are one of the hottest team in the conference presently, winning their previous five contests in SLC-play. They face the top-two squads in the Southland Conference in the Jacks and Cards, with Lamar sitting in first overall. 

WHAT TO KNOW
Who: Stephen F. Austin
When: Wednesday, 7 PM
Where: William R. Johnson Coliseum | Nacogdoches, Texas
Watch: ESPN Watch
Listen: Islander Digital Network, Powered by AEP Texas

WHAT TO KNOW
Who: Lamar
When: Saturday, 2 PM
Where: Montagne Center | Beaumont, Texas
Watch: ESPNWatch
Listen: Islander Digital Network, Powered by AEP Texas

SERIES HISTORY

• The Islanders came within eight points of beating the Jacks last season, falling in Nacogdoches 64-56 in January of 2017
• Uri Jolivette recorded eight and five against SFA the previous season, on the way to setting a career-high in blocks (2)
• The Blue and Green is averaging better than a dozen steals per game in their last three contests against the Jacks
• Corpus Christi is 13-10 against Lamar all-time 
• Brittany Mbamalu is averaging 15 points and 5 rebounds in five contests against Lamar in her career
• The Islanders have outblocked the Cardinals in their past three meetings, combining for 10 boards in the previous two

ISLANDER NOTES

• The Islanders enter the week on a five-game winning streak, only Lamar has a longer active streak in the SLC
• The Blue and Green earned a homecoming victory this weekend over New Orleans, with four players scoring in double-digits. Four Islanders have scored 10-plus in each of Corpus Christi's last two games
• Dalesia Booth knocked down eight of 13 against the Privateers, registering her second straight double-digit performance. The sophomore has shot 54.2% in her last two appearances
• Coming off the bench, Kre'Ana Henry has scored 10-plus points in each of her last four contests, scoring 44 of her 167 points (26.3%) this season, in the past two weeks alone
• Emma Young's streak of made free throws ended at 23 against New Orleans last Saturday. She's shot a team-best 84.1% from the charity stripe this year, sitting second in the Southland and 48th on the national stage
• Sitting 29th in the country and second in the Southland Conference, the Islanders are giving up an average of just 56.2 points per game
• Corpus Christi's 36.6% field goal percentage against currently sits 31st in the country, just ahead of Central Arkansas (37.0%) for the top mark in the Southland
• The Islander bench has combined for 109 points in their previous five contests, responsible for 35.7% of the Islanders points in the current win streak

SCOUTING THE JACKS

• The Lumberjacks rank second in the conference with 74.8 points scored per game, beating opponents by an average of 17.9 on the season
• SFA's Stevi Parker is the only player in the SLC averaging a double-double on the season, recording 12.5 points and 10 boards per contest
• As a team, SFA has an SLC best 16.5 assists per game in the 2017-18 season. Three Jacks have 50-plus helpers this season, led by guard Taylor Jackson (60)

SCOUTING THE CARDINALS

• The Cards are the only team in the SLC scoring more than Stephen F. Austin, with over 78 points scored per game
• Chastadie Barrs leads the nation with 149 steals this season, as Lamar sits first in NCAA D-I women's basketball in robberies per game (17.0)
• LU has had four different players earn SLC Player of the Week honors this year, with leading-scorer Moe Kinard (16.3) collecting a pair of designations

COMING UP NEXT
After their road games in Nacogdoches in Beaumont, the Islanders head back home for a pair of contests against Abilene Christian and Incarnate Word, with the first to take place at Corpus Christi Athletic Club Court inside American Bank Center.

The Blue and Green beat UIW 62-58 on the road earlier this year, and came within a single possession of beating the Wildcats in Abilene earlier this year.

Both of the Islanders' approaching contests, along with all Corpus Christi games, can be followed live via the Islanders Digital Network, powered by AEP Texas.

STAY SOCIAL
For more information on Islanders women's basketball, follow the team on Twitter (@IslandersWBB), Instagram (@IslandersWBB) and like their Facebook page (Islanders Women Basketball)