CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Taking sole possession of first-place in the Southland Conference standings, the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi women's basketball surpassed Southeastern with a 57-50 victory Thursday at the American Bank Center.
The Islanders (16-7, 8-1) remained a perfect 12-0 at home where they've outscored the opposition 827-595. They have the ninth longest active home winning-streak in the nation.
A&M-Corpus Christi has won five consecutive games overall and 11 of the last 12.
It was a defensive battle between the Islanders and the Lady Lions (12-8, 8-2 SLC) as the turning point came in the third quarter where A&M-Corpus Christi scored 19 points. SLU made a push down the stretch but the Islanders made free throws and kept it at least a two possession game.
Senior
Makinna Serrata registered a game-high 24 points. She was 9-of-17 from the field and 5-of-6 from the free throw line. Sophomore
Violeta Verano also turned in a big night with 16 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
All five starters for A&M-Corpus Christi secured at least five rebounds as the Islanders outrebounded the Lady Lions 38-28.
SLU was guided by Caitlyn Williams and Morgan Carrier who scored 13 and 12 points, respectively.
A&M-Corpus Christi led for over 37 minutes in the game.
The Islanders shutdown the Lady Lions in the first quarter and held them to just six points. A jumper in the paint by junior
Alecia Westbrook put the team up 10-5 midway through, and a free throw by Verano had them leading 11-6 after one.
Sophomore
Paige Allen hit a three near the end of the shot clock to keep A&M-Corpus Christi ahead 14-8 with 8:28 to go. Though, the Lady Lions made a run late to get the deficit down to just 22-21 at the intermission.
Still up 27-26 in the third, the Islanders went on a 7-0 run which included an old-fashion three-point play by Verano. A&M-Corpus Christi increased the edge into double-figures 38-28 with 2:37 left after a jumper by Serrata. The Islanders carried a 41-34 advantage into the fourth after a pair of free throws by Westbrook.
In the fourth, the Islanders were up 50-40 with 3:25 remaining after a lay-in by Serrata. The Lady Lions made one last push and got the deficit down to 50-46 with 49 seconds left but were forced to foul. Verano made six free throws in the last 44 seconds and Serrata made one to keep A&M-Corpus Christi in front.
The Islanders will wrap-up the weekend Saturday against Northwestern State at 1 p.m. at the American Bank Center. A&M-Corpus Christi won the first meeting this year 72-55 on the road.
NOTES
- A&M-Corpus Christi is now 12-9 all-time against SLU and 7-3 at home. The Islanders haven't lost to the Lady Lions at home since 2012-13.
- Head coach
Royce Chadwick is up to 208 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 208-98 including 13 wins at Sam Houston, 111 at Stephen F. Austin and 84 at A&M-Corpus Christi.
- A&M-Corpus Christi entered the game ranked 21st in the country in field goal percentage defense and limited SLU to a .364 clip on 20-of-55 shooting.
- The Islanders have not allowed more than 61 points in a conference game this year and have held the opposition to 50 points or less in more than half their games.
- A&M-Corpus Christi is now 15-0 when leading at half and 14-0 when it outrebounds the opposition.
- Serrata notched her 27th career double-figure scoring game, 16th this year and fifth in a row. It was her sixth 20-plus performance of the season. Serrata neared her career-high of 28 points against Pacific on Nov. 22, 2021.
- Leading the league in assists, Verano dished out four in the game and has distributed at least a pair in every contest this year. She submitted her eighth double-figure scoring outing of the year and was 10-of-11 from the free throw line; her 10 makes were a career-high.
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