A&M-Corpus Christi Holds Off Nicholls to Complete Unbeaten Road Weekend

THIBODAUX, La. – The Texas A&M-Corpus Christi women's basketball program won its fourth consecutive game after hanging on to beat Nicholls 64-60 on Saturday at Stopher Gym.
 
A&M-Corpus Christi (15-7, 7-1 SLC) led by 14 early in the fourth quarter when Nicholls (4-15, 2-6 SLC) came charging back to make it a one possession game 61-58 and had the ball with 23 seconds left. Junior Alecia Westbrook made a big defensive play with a steal, which forced the Colonels to start fouling and the Islanders prevailed.

The Islanders, who have won 10 of the last 11 games, and are just a half game out of first-place after Southeastern lost to HBU to fall to 8-1 in conference.
 
A&M-Corpus Christi shot a season-high .929 (13-14) from the free throw line. Junior Alecia Westbrook was eight-for-eight from the charity stripe.
 
Sophomore Violeta Verano paced the offense with 17 points and five assists and hit four three-pointers. Senior Makinna Serrata registered 14 points and five steals.
 

Serrata with the rejection and then runs the floor and drills the pull-up jumper.#ShakasUp pic.twitter.com/yGQkyeBZ5y

— Islanders Women's Basketball (@Islanders_WBB) February 12, 2022

Also in double-figures was Westbrook with 12 points and five rebounds. Sophomore Paige Allen contributed with nine points, six rebounds and six steals.
 
The Islanders posted a +8 turnover margin, which led to a 16-9 advantage in steals.
 
Chyna Allen came off the bench to score 20 points for Nicholls.
 
The Islanders led 4-0 early after a mid-range jumper by Verano. A lay-up by junior Hayle Campbell and a three by Verano extended it to 11-2 at the 3:35 mark. A pair of free throws by Campbell made it 13-4 at the end of the first quarter.
 
Verano nailed a three in the second quarter to put the Islanders up 20-12 with 6:04 left. A driving lay-up by sophomore Mireia Aguado pushed it up to 24-12 with 3:50 to go. The Colonels went on a run late in the quarter after Chyna Allen hit a pair of long-range shots, but A&M-Corpus Christi was still in front 30-24 at the half.
 
The Islanders opened the third on a 9-2 run as a basket inside by Serrata gave them a 39-26 advantage with 7:20 remaining. After Nicholls responded with a 7-2 spurt, Paige Allen drilled a three to keep the lead in double-figures at 44-33 at the 4:30 mark. A pair of free throws with five seconds left by Westbrook had A&M-Corpus Christi up 51-38 heading to the fourth.
 
A&M-Corpus Christi was up 56-42 early in the fourth after a lay-up by senior Diamond Wraggs. Though, the Colonels responded with a 9-2 run as the Islanders called timeout leading 58-51 with 4:10 left. The Islanders were still in front 61-53 when Nicholls came storming back to make it a 61-58 game with 51 seconds left. The Colonels had a chance in the end with the ball down by three, but the steal by Westbrook forced Nicholls to start fouling.
 

Huge play as Westbrook steals the inbounds pass with the Islanders up three.#ShakasUp pic.twitter.com/cZmcqUJaHC

— Islanders Women's Basketball (@Islanders_WBB) February 12, 2022

Up next, A&M-Corpus Christi will put its 11-0 home record on the line when it hosts Southeastern in a first-place showdown at 5 p.m. Thursday at the American Bank Center. The Islanders have the 12th longest active home winning-streak in the nation.
 
NOTES
- A&M-Corpus Christi improved to 11-9 all-time against Nicholls and have won the last three meetings. The two teams did not play each other last season.
 
- Head coach Royce Chadwick is up to 207 career SLC victories and is chasing James Smith's mark of 210 wins at Northwestern State from 1987-04 to become the winningest coach in league history. Chadwick's career SLC record is 207-98 including 13 wins at Sam Houston, 111 at Stephen F. Austin and 83 at A&M-Corpus Christi.
 
- A&M-Corpus Christi entered the game ranked 26th in the nation in steals per game (10.8 spg) and swiped away 16. It was the team's third-highest total of the year.
 
- A&M-Corpus Christi is now 14-0 when leading at half.
 
- Serrata turned in her 26th career double-figure scoring game, 15th this year and eighth in her last nine games. She entered the game ranked second in the SLC in field goal percentage (.510) and was 6-of-12 from the floor. Over the last four games, Serrata is 9-of-17 from three-point range. Her five steals matched a career-high.
 
- Verano netted her seventh double-figure scoring game of the year. She's dished out at least two assists in every contest.
 
- Westbrook notched her 33rd career double-figure scoring game and 16th this season.
 
- Allen was one steal shy of her career-high seven at Wichita State last season. It was the sixth time in her career that she grabbed at least five steals in a game.
 
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