Box Score SAN ANTONIO, Texas - Joseph Kilgore continues to rewrite the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi record book this year after becoming the ninth player in Islander history to reach 1,000 points in a career. The senior's 11 points against Incarnate Word this Saturday tied a team-high, helping Coach Wilson and staff to their fourth straight victory in conference play and a 56-51 decision against Incarnate Word.
After pouring in 45 points in his last two appearances,
Kareem South would tie Kilgore's team-high of 11 on the night, and be the first to put the Islanders on the board in the first half with his 24th three of the year. The Islanders would hold court in the opening six minutes before going dry from beyond the arc and surrendering a 13-2 run to the Cardinals, along with a 10-point lead.
South would continue to shoot through the latter stages of the first half however, closing out the first 20 minutes with nine points and four rebounds. The Islanders finished off the final five minutes of the first, hitting five of their last seven shots to keep the Cardinals lead at just 32-24.
Shooting under 29% in the first, the Blue and Green's offense would come alive during the second half, knocking down 11 of 25 shots (44%) and holding hosts UIW to just eight field goals. While only able to muster up two points in the opening 20, Kilgore's scoring swagger would start to show itself in the second, with the starting guard scoring nine points with a pair of assists. The Houston native broke the 1,000-point barrier after draining his second free throw of the night, just a week removed from becoming the first Islander in program history to tally a triple-double, against Houston Baptist last Saturday.
With their superior shooting and ability to take care of the ball, the Islanders would retake the lead in the final seven minutes against the Cards and hold onto it for the remainder of the afternoon.The Blue and Green would cause 12 UIW turnovers in the second half to help secure the Corpus Christi win, with starting forward
Sean Rhea's three steals tying his career-best.Â
With the Cardinals' last option relying upon the foul, Corpus Christi was turned to the charity stripe on seven occasions in the final three minutes of competition. Coach Wilson's side was up to task however, going eight for 12 at the line and icing the game at 56-51.
- South finished the night with nine rebounds to tie the career-high he set against Texas Lutheran earlier this season, and come within a board of a double-double
- Shooting 69% from the stripe, the Islanders hit 11 free throws to UIW's eight, despite the Blue and Green getting just a single attempt more than the Cardinals
- Corpus Christi once again won the rebounding battle this Saturday, they've outboarded their opponents during all four games of their current streak
- South has reached double-digit points in five of his last six games, breaking the 20 point barrier in two of them
COMING UP NEXT
The Islanders prepare for a rematch with Sam Houston State after losing a decision to the Bearkats earlier this year at home. The Blue and Green will be on search for revenge going into Huntsville, entering the approaching week as the hottest team in the Southland.
The Islanders annual Homecoming game is scheduled for the following Saturday, February 10th, where there will be plenty of festivities for family, alumni, and students to enjoy. The women's game vs. New Orleans is at 2 PM in the American Bank Center followed by a block party and tailgate to be held outside the facility. The tailgate will feature food trucks, music, inflatables, and games, leading up to the men's game vs. New Orleans at 7 PM. A few lucky students will have the opportunity to putt a golf ball across the court in the second game of our doubleheader, for a chance to win $10,000 courtesy of Same's Ford of Corpus Christi! Make sure to take part in all of the Homecoming festivities!
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.
Â
