Islanders Prepare For Homecoming Weekend

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - Texas A&M-Corpus Christi's Royce Chadwick notched his program record 74th win as the head coach of the Islanders women's basketball team, after beating Incarnate Word 62-58 on the road.

The Blue and Green are on a streak of three straight wins headed into this Wednesday's matchup with Sam Houston State, looking to take down the Bearkats for a second time this season.

This Saturday's contest against New Orleans marks the Islanders' annual homecoming game, as Corpus Christi looks to enact revenge on the Privateers at Corpus Christi Athletic Club Court inside the American Bank Center, in an ESPN3 broadcasted event.
 
PROMOTIONS>> The Islanders annual Homecoming game is scheduled for 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!

WHAT TO KNOW
Who: Sam Houston State
When: Wednesday, 7 PM
Where: Dugan Wellness Center | Corpus Christi, Texas
Watch: Islanders Digital Network, Powered by AEP Texas

WHAT TO KNOW
Who: New Orleans
When: Saturday, 2 PM
Where: American Bank Center | Corpus Christi, Texas
Watch: ESPN3

SERIES HISTORY

• This will be the second meeting between the Islanders and the Bearkats this season, with the Blue and Green coming out on top 67-57 in Huntsville earlier this season
• The Islanders are 17-9 against SHSU all-time, winning five of the pair's last six meetings
• Brittany Mbamalu dropped 23 on the Bearkats earlier this season, averaging over 20 in her last two appearances against Sam Houston
• The Blue and Green is 6-2 against New Orleans all-time, falling to the Privateers last month in the 'Big Easy'
• The Islanders ended the Privateers season in 2017, beating UNO 88-77 in the quarterfinals of the Southland Conference Championship

ISLANDER NOTES

• The Islanders stand to be the most defensively sound of their two opponents this week, averaging just 56 points against on the year
• On a three-game win streak, the Islanders have won four of their last five contests, coming within a single possession of beating Abilene Christian on the road
• The Blue and Green's most recent win at Incarnate Word marks Head Coach Royce Chadwick's 74th victory at the helm of the Corpus Christi program, making his staff the winningest in Islander history
• The Islanders have experienced some close contests in the past two weeks, with their last four games decided by a combined 11 points
• Three Islanders recorded double-digit performances against the Cards this past Saturday, as forward Tiara Matthews tied her career-high of 14 points on a perfect five-for-five shooting day
• Freshman Giana Wright tallied a career-best nine points against the SELU last week, in her second start since coming to the Island. The Blue and Green is 3-0 since Wright has become a part of the regular starting five
• The Islander bench has scored 28 points per game in their last two contests, including a 22-point effort in a win over Houston Baptist

SCOUTING THE BEARKATS

• SHSU enters Wednesday's contest on a three-game losing streak, barring their 57-52 win over SELU, the Bearkats have not won another game since November 12th
• Guard Jennifer Oramas leads SHSU with 11.4 points per game, posting a season-high 24 points in the Bearkats' win over SELU two weeks ago
• Lydia Baxter has been SHSU's predominant rebounder over the course of the 2017-18 campaign, pulling down 6.9 boards per game. That's 10th best in the SLC this season

SCOUTING THE PRIVATEERS

• Randi Brown has been the Privateers' number one option on the offensive side of the ball, with the senior guard averaging an SLC-best 20.9 points per game this year. Brown's scoring has tapered off in the past two contests however, totaling 12 points combined in the Privateers' two losses to NSU and Nicholls
• Shania Woods has cleaned the glass for an average of 8.5 boards per game this year, putting her at fourth most in the conference
• UNO's aggressive path to the basket has netted them better than 14 free throws made per game this year, leading the SLC with a 75.8% shooting average from the stripe
• The Privateers currently rank 24th in the country concerning forced turnovers, forcing opponents to cough the ball up 21 times a game

COMING UP NEXT
After attempting the sweep of SHSU at home inside Dugan Stadium, the Islanders prepare for their annual homecoming contest inside the American Bank Center against New Orleans.

Including this week's game with UNO, the Islanders will be broadcast on ESPN3 for three straight contests after their matchup with Sam Houston, playing on the road against Stephen F. Austin and Lamar.

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)