NATCHITOCHES, La. – Southland Conference action begins Saturday for the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi men's basketball program when it travels to Northwestern State for a 2:30 p.m. tip at Prather Coliseum.
The matchup features the two-two teams in the Southland Conference in NET Rankings as Northwestern State (8-5) sits at 164 and A&M-Corpus Christi (7-6) at 217 out of 363 Division I institutions. The Demons hold a win over No. 15 TCU, while the Islanders defeated UTSA, UTRGV and Alcorn State.
The Islanders wrapped-up non-conference with a 7-6 record. A&M-Corpus Christi is 23-11 in non-conference games under Lutz, which included postseason play last year.
A&M-Corpus Christi is going for its first road win of the season. The Islanders are 6-0 at home with every win by double-figures; the program is 217-106 all-time at home.
A&M-Corpus Christi ranks 12th in the nation in steals per game (10.2), 13th in turnovers forced per game (18.2) and 14th in bench points per game (32.1). Individually, senior
Isaac Mushila ranks 11th in the country in offensive rebounds per game (3.8) and 23rd in double-doubles (5).
Mushila is one of four Islanders averaging in double-figure scoring along with senior
Trevian Tennyson (11.8 ppg), graduate
Ross Williams (11.4 ppg) and senior
Terrion Murdix (10.5 ppg).
In addition to its win over TCU, Northwestern State beat Illinois State, Central Arkansas, Bethune-Cookman, Stephen F. Austin, Southern Miss and UL-Monroe. Most recently, it led Texas A&M 33-28 at halftime before falling 64-52.
DeMarcus Sharp is the league's leading scorer with 16.2 points per game. He's one of three averaging in double-figures along with Ja'Monta Black with 14.4 points per game and Isaac Haney with 12.7 points per game. The Demons are under the direction of first-year head coach Corey Gipson.
A&M-Corpus Christi will play its conference home opener Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. when it hosts UIW. It will be the final game in the Dugan Wellness Center this season.
NOTES
- The Islanders are 13-7 all-time against Northwestern State, 4-3 on the road and 2-1 under head coach
Steve Lutz. A&M-Corpus Christi is 145-124 all-time in the Southland Conference since joining the league in 2006-07.
- A&M-Corpus Christi will look to win its conference opener for the second straight year after beating UIW at home last season 80-64.
- The Islanders are 9-4 in the month of December under Lutz in two seasons. Their only losses are against Power Five schools Minnesota, Notre Dame, Arizona and Oklahoma State all on the road.
- In two seasons under Lutz, the Islanders are 12-0 when they shoot over 50 percent from the field and 20-1 when the opposition scores below 70 points. This season, the team is 5-0 when they shoot above 33 percent from three-point range.
- The Islanders rank first in the Southland Conference in free throw percentage (.763), defensive rebounding (24.4 drpg), assists (16.0 apg) and assist:turnover ratio (1.2). Mushila is the league's leading rebounder with 9.5 per game and nearly averages a double-double with 14.2 points per game.
- Mushila was named to the Lou Henson National Player of the Year Award Watch List, presented annually to the top mid-major player in Division I college basketball. Mushila was the only player from the Southland Conference on the list.
- Murdix ranks second in the league in both assists (2.5 apg) and steals (2.2 spg).
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