Islanders Win Seventh Straight While Handing Nicholls First Home Loss of Season

THIBODEAUX, La. – Having led for over 37 minutes in the game, the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi men's basketball program went on the road at Nicholls and notched a big 78-74 victory to extend their winning-streak to seven on Thursday at Stopher Gym.
 
Nicholls (13-12, 8-5 SLC) entered the night on a 13-game home winning-streak (8-0 this year) and were 40-3 at home since 2018-19. The Islanders (18-9, 11-3 SLC) completed the season sweep over the Colonels after winning 96-86 in Corpus Christi.
 
Despite the largest lead of the game only being nine points, A&M-Corpus Christi was ahead for the entire second half. On the night, the Islanders were 10-of-22 from beyond-the-arc and 18-of-22 from the free throw line.
 
A pair of A&M-Corpus Christi student-athletes tallied career-highs in scoring. Senior Terrion Murdix registered 25 points, four assists and three steals, while freshman Owen Dease recorded 13 points off the bench. Dease helped the Islanders outscore Nicholls 39-25 in bench points.
 

And-one for Murdix after a drive down the baseline!#ShakasUp // #LutzGo pic.twitter.com/TRMz0vEsnj

— Islanders Men's Basketball (@Islanders_MBB) February 17, 2023

Senior Trevian Tennyson netted 17 points and was 5-of-7 from three-point range. Senior De'Lazarus Keys pulled down a season-high 10 rebounds.
 
The Colonels garnered a pair of key contributions off the bench. Lance-Amir Paul finished with 20 points and five assists, while Edoardo Del Cadia ended with 10 points and six rebounds. Caleb Huffman, the reigning SLC Player of the Week winner, reached double-digits with 10 points.
 
A&M-Corpus Christi trailed 8-7 early when Tennyson drilled back-to-back threes to spark a 10-0 run to go up 17-8 at the 12:29 mark. The Islanders were still ahead 24-16 after a pair of free throws by Murdix with 9:06 left.
 
The Colonels answered with a 10-2 run to tie it 26-26 with 4:16 remaining. An old-fashion three-point play by Murdix and long distance shot by graduate Ross Williams put the Islanders back in front 32-28. A&M-Corpus Christi carried a 37-33 edge at the intermission.
 
A three and a lay-up by Murdix extended the lead to 46-38 early in the second. The Islanders maintained a 58-50 advantage after a steal and dunk by Dease with 12:48 to go.
 
Nicholls didn't go away and used a 6-1 spurt to cut it to 64-60 with 8:12 left. The Colonels came as close as 68-66 with 4:17 remaining when Tennyson responded with a step back three to stay ahead 71-66.
 

#ZeroTheHero with a big one. Islanders up 5.#ShakasUp // #LutzGo pic.twitter.com/bWSb8mkmOb

— Islanders Men's Basketball (@Islanders_MBB) February 17, 2023

The Colonels made one last push and trimmed it to 73-70 with 1:19 remaining, but the Islanders were able to make free throws and get stops in the end for the win.
 
The Islanders will remain on the road Saturday when they face McNeese at 3:30 p.m. at the Legacy Center. A&M-Corpus Christi has won 14 consecutive games over the Cowboys dating back to 2013.
 
The Islanders sit in a first-place tie in the SLC standings with Northwestern State with 11-3 records. A&M-Corpus Christi beat the Demons 65-59 in the first meeting on the road but the two schools will play again on Feb. 25 in Corpus Christi.
 
NOTES
- A&M-Corpus Christi is now 13-9 all-time against the Colonels and has won three straight.
 
- Nicholls biggest scoring run was six straight points. The Islanders remained one of just two teams in the nation to only give up a scoring run of 10 or more points one time this season along with Auburn.
 
- A&M-Corpus Christi entered the night ranked eighth in the nation in free throw percentage (.777) and 14th in steals per game (9.3). The Islanders shot .783 from the line and grabbed 12 steals.
 
- The Islanders have been hot from long range in conference play where they are .403 (114-283) as a team. Most notably, Tennyson is 53-of-105 (.505).
 
- A&M-Corpus Christi has won seven straight conference games for the first time since 2016-17 when it won nine in a row.
 
- The Islanders improved to 8-0 (7-0 SLC) with the starting lineup of Murdix, senior Jalen Jackson, Tennyson, senior Simeon Fryer and senior Isaac Mushila. Jackson and Tennyson both logged career-highs in minutes with Jackson playing 36:42 and Tennyson 36:27.
 
- A&M-Corpus Christi is now 156-127 all-time in the Southland Conference since joining the league in 2006-07.
 
- Murdix surpassed his previous career-high of 23 points at Southeastern on Feb. 23. He was 8-of-13 from the floor and 7-of-7 from the charity stripe. Murdix notched his 35th career double-figure scoring game and 18th this season. He entered the night leading the SLC in steals (2.2 spg) and swiped three.
 
- Tennyson hit at least five threes in a game for the seventh time in his career and fifth this year. He's scored in double-figures in every conference game this season. It was his 42nd career double-digit scoring outing and 22nd this year.
 
- Dease topped his previous career-high of 12 points at New Orleans on Feb. 2. He was 4-of-7 from the field and 5-of-6 from the free throw line. Dease submitted his third double-figure scoring affair of the year.
 
- Keys secured 10 rebounds in a game for the eighth time in his career. His career-best is 13 at Southeastern on Jan. 27, 2022.
 


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#ShakasUp