CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Dominating the glass, the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi men's basketball program registered an 83-76 victory over Northwestern State on Homecoming Saturday at the American Bank Center.
A&M-Corpus Christi (17-10, 4-6 SLC) posted a +21 rebounding margin, winning the battle of the boards 48-27. It led to extra possessions and 11 more shot attempts than NWST (8-20, 4-7 SLC) and a big 23-4 edge in second chance points.
The Islanders also used a strong second half effort to turn the game around. They trailed by one at halftime when they went on an early second half run and never trailed again. A&M-Corpus Christi led for over 35 minutes in the contest.
Junior
Terrion Murdix tallied a game-high 20 points, which was one shy of his career-high. A double-double came from junior
Isaac Mushila with 17 points and 12 rebounds.
The Islanders garnered four double-figure scorers. Senior
De'Lazarus Keys neared a double-double with 14 points and nine rebounds, while junior
Trevian Tennyson came off the bench to score 11 points.
NWST's Kendal Coleman led the squad with 18 points and 14 rebounds. The Demons shot 26-of-29 (.897) from the free throw line.
A&M-Corpus Christi led 10-6 after five minutes after Tennyson drilled a three. They extended it to 16-8 on a drive by senior
San Antonio Brinson with 12:54 left.
The Demons responded with a 7-0 run to cut it to 16-15 with 11:30 to go. NWST took a 27-26 led with 6:26 remaining, but a pair of free throws by Murdix put the Islanders back in front 31-29. However, the Demons grabbed a 36-35 lead at the break after a three by Carvell Teasett on the final possession.
The Islanders went back in front 37-36 on its first possession of the second on a pair of free throws by Mushila, and extended it to 43-38 after two free throws by junior
Jalen Jackson at the 17:27 mark. A fast-break lay-up by Keys pushed it up to 50-42 with 14:t0 left.
A&M-Corpus Christi took its largest lead 56-45 with 11:53 remaining after a lay-up by Jackson.
Though, the Demons slowly chipped away at the lead and got it down to 60-58 with 7:39 left.
A big three by senior
Myles Smith gave the Islanders a little bit of breathing room 63-58 at the 7:13 mark. However, the Demons made another last-gasp push and cut it to a 77-76 game with 55 seconds left. On the ensuing possessions, Murdix was fouled and made two free throws, the Islanders got a stop defensively, Murdix made two more free throws and the Demons didn't score the rest of the way,
Up next, the Islanders will head to McNeese for a 7 p.m. game Thursday. A&M-Corpus Christi won the first meeting this season 60-56 at home.
NOTES
- The Islanders clinched a winning season overall.
- A&M-Corpus Christi is now 13-8 all-time against NWST and 8-3 at home. The program hasn't lost to the Demons at home since 2012-13.
- The Islanders are now 9-3 at home this year, 210-104 all-time at home and 140-76 all-time at the American Bank Center.
- A&M-Corpus Christi entered the game ranked 11th in the nation in offensive rebounds per game (13.38) and pulled down 18, compared to NWST's four.
- Mushila started the day ranked 10th in the country in offensive rebounds (3.58 orpg) and secure five. He submitted his 11th double-double of the season and second in a row. Mushila etched his 21st double-figure scoring game and 13th double-digit rebounding affair of the year.
- Tennyson has hit a three-pointer in every game this year. It was his 17th double-figure scoring game and seventh in a row.
- Murdix was one point shy of his career-high of 21 set twice. He matched his career-high with five steals and also grabbed six rebounds. Murdix has reached double-figures in scoring 11 times this year.
- Keys reached double-figures in scoring for the 13th time in his career and 10th this year. He was 6-of-9 from the floor.
- At halftime, John Jordan (2011-15) was inducted into the Islanders Hall of Honor. In the school record book, he ranks first all-time in assists (652), first in minutes played (4,340) and free throws made (559). Jordan finished his career as the only active player in Division I with more than 1,500 points, 500 rebounds and 500 assists and is one of two players in Southland Conference history to ever accomplish that feat.
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