A&M-Corpus Christi Drops Road Tilt at Houston

HOUSTON – The Texas A&M-Corpus Christi women's basketball program fell 78-51 on the road at Houston on Tuesday at the Fertitta Center.
 
The Islanders (5-6) led 10-6 when the Cougars (7-5) ended the first quarter on a 17-2 run and extended the lead in the second to pull away. A&M-Corpus Christi was going up against a Houston squad which has wins this year over Florida State, Arizona State, New Mexico and UL-Lafayette.
 
Junior Alecia Westbrook led the Islanders with 14 points and eight rebounds. Senior Alexandria Pollard, sophomore Mireia Aguado and sophomore Violeta Verano scored seven points apiece and Pollard also grabbed eight rebounds.
 
Houston was led by Tatyana Hill's game-highs of 15 points and nine rebounds.
 
The Islanders trailed 6-2 early when they went on an 8-0 spurt. It started with a pair of free throws by senior Makinna Serrata and was followed by back-to-back threes by Verano to go up 10-6 with 5:57 remaining.

Verano hits her second 3FG of the game, Islanders up 10-6 early.#ShakasUp pic.twitter.com/34KHzrYW3L

— Islanders Women's Basketball (@Islanders_WBB) December 21, 2021

A&M-Corpus Christi's next best stretch came early in the third quarter. Trailing by 20 at half, Westbrook converted on a pair of buckets and Aguado scored on a driving lay-up to cut it to 43-29 with 6:13 left. The closest the Islanders came in the second half was 47-34 at the 1:44 mark after a free throw by sophomore Paige Allen.
 
A&M-Corpus Christi will close out the month on Thursday, Dec. 30 when it hosts Concordia (TX) at 7 p.m. in the Dugan Wellness Center. It will be the team's final game before the SLC Preseason Tipoff on Monday, Jan. 3 in Katy, Texas as the Islanders face HBU at 1:30 p.m. in the first round.
 
NOTES
- A&M-Corpus Christi entered the game ranked 12th in the nation in steals per outing with 13.2 but the Cougars took good care of the ball and only gave up five.
 
- Westbrook tallied her 24th career double-figure scoring game and eighth in a row. She's secured at least eight rebounds in every game this season. Westbrook entered the game ranked top-10 in the nation in rebounding with 11.4 per outing.
 
- Senior Diamond Wraggs made her first start of the year and recorded two points, three rebounds and two assists. The Islanders have mixed and matched their lineups all season and have used six different starting lineups in 11 games.
 
- Despite 24 turnovers, the Islanders only gave up four points in transition and held a 5-4 edge in fast break scoring.
 
Stay Social
Keep up with the women's basketball program via its Facebook page (Islanders Women's Basketball) and follow the program on Twitter (@Islanders_WBB) and Instagram (@IslandersWBB).
 
#ShakasUp