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KATY, Texas – In a game in-which the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi men's basketball program never trailed, the Islanders shot .517 from the floor and defeated Northwestern State 89-67 in the first round of the Southland Conference Preseason Tip-Off at the Merrell Center.
Junior
Isaac Mushila registered a double-double of 27 points and 13 rebounds, including 21 points in the first half. He was 10-of-12 from the floor and 6-for-7 from the free throw line.
Mushila was one of three Islanders (12-3) to reach double-figures in scoring along with senior
De'Lazarus Keys with 12 points and junior
Trevian Tennyson with 11 points. Junior
Terrion Murdix also impacted the game with seven points, 11 rebounds and six assists.
The Demons (3-12) were led by Robert Chougkaz's 14 points off the bench. A&M-Corpus Christi limited NSU t a .328 shooting clip, including .238 from long range.
The game did not count toward either team's conference record.
The Islanders led 15-6 in the first half after buckets inside by Mushila and Keys. After the Demons cut it to 22-17, Mushila scored on a put-back and Tennyson hit a three-pointer to push the lead up to 27-17 at the 9:44 mark.
A&M-Corpus Christi was still ahead 38-29 with 2:27 remaining after junior
Tyrese Nickelson buried a three. The Islanders carried a 43-34 advantage into the intermission after an old-fashion three-point play by Mushila.
In the second half, the Islanders extended it to 53-39 with 16:58 to go after a floater by Tennyson. A put-back by sophomore
Stephen Faramade made it a 62-44 game with 13:11 left.
After NSU trimmed it to 67-53, A&M-Corpus Christi responded with a 9-0 run to take its largest lead 76-53 after a three-point play by senior
San Antonio Brinson with 6:51 remaining.
A&M-Corpus Christi will face Nicholls in the semifinals at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
NOTES
- The Islanders improved to 12-6 all-time against the Demons, including 2-1 on a neutral court. A&M-Corpus Christi has won eight of the last nine meetings.
- A&M-Corpus Christi is now 3-0 in neutral court games this season and 24-20 all-time on a neutral court.
- The Islanders outscored the Demons 14-11 in transition have not been outscored in fast break points this year.
- Mushila scored over 20 points in a half for the second time this season along with a game against UTRGV on Dec. 8. He recorded his fifth double-double, 11th double-figure scoring game and sixth double-digit rebounding performance. His 10 made field goals were a career-high.
- Tennyson has scored in double-figures in five of the last six games and seven times this year. He's hit a three-pointer in every game.
- Keys submitted his seventh career double-figure scoring game and fourth this season. His 12 points matched a season-high.
- Murdix pulled down a career-high 11 rebounds, which topped his 10 against Sul Ross State. He entered the game ranked second in the conference in assists (4.1 apg) and ended with six.
- The Islanders have more-than doubled their win total from last season when they finished 5-19 overall.
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