Second Half Rally Comes Up Short for Islanders at UTRGV

EDINBURG, Texas – Down 12 mid-way through the second half, the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi men's basketball program came back to tie it, but UTRGV made enough plays down the stretch to hang on for a 62-59 final Wednesday at Bert Ogden Arena.
 
A&M-Corpus Christi (1-3) trailed 41-29 with 11 minutes left when it found its rhythm and evened it 52-52 with 3:58 remaining. Though, UTRGV (2-1), which was coming off an 81-64 win over UTSA, hit free throws late and made a defensive stand on the final possession to hang on.
 
It was a tale of two halves for the Islanders who shot .214 from the field in the first half, but .480 in the second including 5-of-10 from long range. A&M-Corpus Christi also posted a 16-of-19 (.842) clip from the free throw line for the game.
 
Senior Perry Francois registered a career-high 15 points to go along with four rebounds and two blocks. Sophomore Jordan Hairston notched a season-high 14 points and hit a trio of threes.
 
UTRGV was guided by Javon Levi who ended with 19 points, seven assists, six rebounds and six steals.
 
The Islanders trailed 10-5 in the first half when Francois converted an old-fashion three-point play to trim the deficit to 10-8 with 12:29 remaining. Still down 13-10, the Vaqueros scored 11 straight points to increase their advantage to 24-10 at the 6:13 mark.
 
A&M-Corpus Christi trimmed the deficit to 24-15 after Francois scored in the post and junior Javae Lampkins hit a three, as UTRGV called timeout with 1:07 left. Both teams had looks in the final minute, but the half ended with the Vaqueros still leading 24-15.
 
On the team's first possession of the second half, Francois threw down an alley-oop dunk to trail 24-17. The Islanders further chipped into it 25-21 after a pair of free throws by sophomore Jalen White with 17:37 to go. After the Vaqueros got their lead back up to 30-21, A&M-Corpus Christi responded with a three from Lampkins and a dunk and free throw by Francois to trail 30-27 with 14:38 remaining.
 
Though, UTRGV answered with a 9-0 run to go up 39-27 at the 11:58 mark.
 
Still down 50-39, the Islanders came storming back with a 10-0 run. It started with a three from Hairston and followed with an and-one from Francois and four points from junior Simeon Fryer to trail just 50-49; UTRGV called timeout with 4:41 left. The Islanders knotted it up 52-52 on a three by Hairston with 3:58 remaining.
 
However, in the closing minutes the Vaqueros drew fouls and made enough free throws to hang on. A&M-Corpus Christi fought until the end and had one last look in the closing seconds from long-range, but a tough, contested three was off the mark.
 
The Islanders return home Friday to host Arlington Baptist at 7 p.m. in the Dugan Wellness Center. It will be the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
 
NOTES
- The game was part of the annual South Texas Showdown, an annual rivalry presented by Navy Army Community Credit Union where the two institutions compete against each other in 12 sports. A&M-Corpus Christi leads the series 3-1.
 
- In men's basketball the Islanders are still ahead 14-10 all-time against the Vaqueros and 7-5 on the road.
 
- The Islanders outrebounded the Vaqueros 37-34.
 
- Francois upped his career-high from 12 points, set twice including this year against Texas A&M-International in the season opener. It was his seventh career double-figure scoring game.
 
- Hairston etched his 17th career double-digit scoring performance. All 14 of his points came in the second half.
 
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