A&M-Corpus Christi Wins 2022 SLC Championship, Advances to NCAA Tournament

Photo Album

KATY, Texas – Punching its ticket to March Madness, the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi men's basketball program defeated Southeastern 73-65 to win the Southland Conference Championship on Saturday at the Merrell Center.
 
A&M-Corpus Christi (23-11, 7-7 SLC) will make its second-ever NCAA Tournament appearance and first since 2006-07.
 
The Islanders used an all-around effort and balanced attack to defeat Southeastern (19-14, 10-4 SLC). Despite six lead changes, A&M-Corpus Christi led for most of the game.
 
After the contest, junior Terrion Murdix was named the SLC Tournament MVP and on the All-Tournament Team along with senior Simeon Fryer.
 
Murdix registered 13 points and five steals, while junior Jalen Jackson tallied 13 points, six rebounds and five assists. Senior De'Lazarus Keys recorded 12 points and senior San Antonio Brinson notched 10 points off the bench.
 
Junior Isaac Mushila, an All-Conference Second-Team selection, finished with eight points and 12 rebounds.
 
The Islanders outrebounded SLU 37-25. They also dominated in the paint where they posted a 36-16 advantage.
 
The Lions relied heavily on the three-point shot and went 10-of-22 (.455) on the night. Keon Clergeot paced the team with 18 points while Ryan Burkhardt ended with 14. Joe Kasperzyk scored 10.
 
SLU came out of the gates on fire and hit six of its first seven shots including 4-for-4 from three to build a 16-6 lead. The Islanders responded with an 13-1 spurt which included a three by Brinson to tie it and a tip-in by sophomore Stephen Faramade to go up 19-17 at the 10:56 mark.
 
Still ahead 27-26, Murdix hit a jumper, Keys threw down a dunk and Jackson scored in transition to extend it to 33-26 as the Lions called timeout with 4:02 remaining. SLU scored the last bucket of the half but A&M-Corpus Christi led 35-30 at the intermission.
 
The Lions came out hot again in the second and took a 40-39 lead with 17:01 left after a pair of threes. Brinson drained a long-range shot and followed it up with a jumper to put A&M-Corpus Christi back ahead 46-42 at the 14:33 mark.
 
A three by senior Myles Smith made it 58-51 A&M-Corpus Christi with 7:54 to go. The Lions got it back down to 61-58 after Burkhardt hit a three with 4:07 remaining, but the Islanders got it back up to 65-58 after a driving lay-up by Murdix and a pair of free throws by Mushila at the 2:30 mark.
 
The Islanders got their lead back up to double-figures 71-60 with under a minute left after a fast-break lay-up by Murdix and two free throws by Jackson.
 
The Islanders will now await their destination for the NCAA Tournament, which will be revealed on Selection Sunday at 5 p.m. on a nationally televised bracket reveal on CBS.
 

LUTZ GO !!!!#ShakasUp // #LutzGo pic.twitter.com/tQ8SL92MW6

— Islanders Men's Basketball (@Islanders_MBB) March 13, 2022

NOTES
- A&M-Corpus Christi, which has won seven of its last eight games, won its third championship in program history.
 
- The Islanders improved to 11-9 all-time in the SLC Tournament. It was the fourth time they were in the finals.
 
- A&M-Corpus Christi is now 17-0 this season when holding the opposition to 70 points or less.
 
- The Islanders improved to 13-9 all-time against SLU and 2-0 in the SLC Tournament.
 
- A&M-Corpus Christi has more-than quadrupled its win total from last season when it finished 5-19 overall. It marked the largest year-to-year turnaround in program history.
 
- The Islanders recorded their sixth 20-win season in program history and first since 2016-17. The program began in 1999-00.
 
- Murdix turned in his 17th double-figure scoring game of the year and sixth in a row. Murdix was an SLC All-Defensive Team honoree.
 
- Jackson etched his eighth double-digit scoring affair of the year and was 5-of-8 from the floor. His six rebounds marked a career-high.
 
- Keys submitted his 16th career double-figure scoring game and 13th this year. He was 5-of-7 from the field.
 
- Brinson nailed a pair of big threes and reached double-figures in scoring for the third time this season.
 
- Mushila entered the SLC Tournament ranked eighth in the country in offensive rebounds per game (3.55) and pulled down five. It was his 16th double-figure rebounding game of the year.
 
2022 Southland Men's Basketball All-Tournament Team
Terrion Murdix, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (MVP)
Simeon Fryer, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Jalyn Hinton, Southeastern
Joe Kasperzyk, Southeastern
Troy Green, New Orleans
 

SHAKAS UP! 🌊@Islanders_MBB are going dancing! pic.twitter.com/FHuofzJwsI

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 13, 2022

Stay Social
For all the latest on Islanders Men's Basketball, be sure to follow the team on Twitter (@Islanders_MBB), Instagram (@IslandersMBB) and "like" the team's official Facebook page (IslandersMBB).
 
#ShakasUp