NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana – Posting its fourth straightdouble-digit win, the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi women's basketball team completed the season sweep over New Orleans after cruising to a 68-49 decision after a hot night of shooting Thursday at Lakefront Arena.
The win was paced by big individual performances from
Alecia Westbrook,
Makinna Serrata and
Mireia Aguado. Most notably, Westbrook's 19 points and 15 boards gave her her 30
th career double-double to become the program's all-time leader in double-doubles, surpassing the previous record set at 29 by Elisa Beagle (05-10). The career night comes after Westbrook surpassed the 1,000-career point milestone in the game prior.
The Islanders (13-7, 8-1 SLC) turned in a .543 shooting mark on the night, including shooting over 60 percent in the first and third quarters, while silencing New Orleans (4-14, 3-6 SLC) to just a .290 night. It marked A&M-Corpus Christi's sixth straight win and sixth consecutive road win, making them the only team in the Southland to be undefeated on the road in conference play.
Serrata's hot hand helped her to go 8-of-9 from the floor on the night for a game-leading 21 points. It matched her season-high which was set just the game prior for her second straight 20+ point performance. In addition, Aguado came off the bench and scored five points early to help her end the night with a season-best 12 points, two shy of matching her career best.
DeArica Pryor of New Orleans entered the game third in the SLC in scoring with 13.7 points per outing, but the Islanders kept her to 11 points tonight after holding her to just eight points in the first meeting this season.
Additionally, the Islanders outrebounded the Privateers 40-29. A&M-Corpus Christi has outrebounded its Southland opponents in every meeting this year.
The Islanders won the tip and immediately converted for two points off the bucket by Serrata. Freshman
Bruna Anguera followed it up with a shot from deep to help the Islanders to a quick 5-0 lead. New Orleans got its first lead of the game after a 6-0 scoring run, but Serrata hit the open three to reverse the score again at the 7:55 mark. Aguado drove inside to make it a 15-11 game and the Islanders extended their lead to 18-11 off the three-pointer by Verano. Four points by Westbrook closed out the opening quarter with the Islanders up 22-15.
Both teams struggled to score in the second, combining for a total of just seven points at the halfway mark. Westbrook broke A&M-Corpus Christi's scoring drought at the 3:29 mark with back-to-back buckets to keep them ahead 29-21. Though, the Islanders were kept scoreless for the last 2:21 minutes as New Orleans managed to cut it to a one-possession game at the break, 30-27.
A&M-Corpus Christi bounced back in the third, as the Islanders came out of the break on a 6-0 scoring run with inside shots by Serrata and junior
Paige Allen. The Privateers would get back within three at the 5:12 mark, but they wouldn't get closer as the Islanders never dipped below a 10-point lead following the pair of free throws by Westbrook with 2:51 remaining.
Aguado netted two shots to open the fourth quarter to make it 55-41. Turnovers plagued New Orleans, as the Islanders ran the floor for 10 more points down the stretch after Aguao's fastbreak jumper was met by two field goals by Serrata who finished out the scoring for the 68-49 final. A&M-Corpus Christi's defense held the Privateers to only 14 points in the final 14 minutes of the game.
Next up, the Islanders will take its road success to Southeastern who accounts for their sole conference loss this season. Tip-off is set for 1:30 p.m. and can be watched with a subscription on ESPN+, or heard live for free on 1440 AM K-E-Y-S with Doug Kesterson on the call.
NOTES
- A&M-Corpus Christi now leads the all-time record 17-3 over New Orleans and 6-3 when the teams play in New Orleans. The Islanders have won the last nine meetings and have kept New Orleans to 53 points or less in all of them, including keeping them to under 50 points both meetings this season.
- The Islanders are 13-1 (8-1 SLC) when they hold the opposition to under 60 points. They have held their opposition to under 60 points in nine of 10 conference games, four of which were kept to under 50.
- The Islanders entered the game ranked first in the Southland in scoring margin (6.2), opponent field goal percentage (.361), opponent three-point field goal percentage (.278), combined opponent rebounds (32.4 rpg), and rebounding margin (5.4). They will improve upon all with the +19 scoring margin and holding UNO to .290 from the field, .125 from distance, and 29 rebounds.
- The Islanders are now 87-73 all-time in the month of February. Under head coach
Royce Chadwick, they are 100-81 all-time in the Southland Conference.
- A&M-Corpus Christi has now posted a 9-1 SLC record for the second year in a row through its first 10 conference games.
- Westbrook's recorded her 30
th career double-double, 11
th this season and eighth in conference play. She averages a double-double on the year of 12.2 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. Her 15 rebounds was one shy of her career-best, matched earlier this season against UTRGV back on Dec. 12. It was her sixth time this season to make six field goals in a game.
- Serrata submitted her 47
th career double figure scoring game, 15
th this season and fifth in a row. Additionally, it was her eighth career 20+ scoring game and second in a row. She has scored at least 10 points in eight of the 10 conference meetings this year, and now averages 12.0 per outing. She records 955 career points, only 45 away from reaching the 1,000-career point milestone.
- Aguado turned in her season-best five made field goals for her first double digit scoring game of the season and just second in her career. Her only other time to score in double figures as an Islander also came against New Orleans back on Jan. 20, 2021 where she scored her career-high 14 points.
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