Islanders Crowned 2022-23 SLC Regular Season Champions on Homecoming & Senior Day

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Hoisting the 2022-23 Southland Conference regular season trophy, the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi men's basketball program defeated Northwestern State in an 83-75 thriller on Homecoming and Senior Day at the American Bank Center.
 
The Islanders (20-10, 13-4 SLC) secured the number one seed at the conference tournament after pulling out a back-and-forth battle over the Demons (20-10, 12-5 SLC). The game featured eight lead changes and five ties.
 
It marked the fourth championship in program history, the second regular season title and the first time the Islanders won championships in back-to-back seasons. Additionally, the Islanders reached the 20-win plateau for the second straight year.
 
Prior to the game, the Islanders honored eight on Senior Day. It included Jasman Sangha, Tyrese Nickelson, Ross Williams, Jalen Jackson, Trevian Tennyson, Isaac Mushila, De'Lazarus Keys and manager Alannah Yeats.
 
Mushila broke the school record for free throws made in a game after going 19-of-24. It topped the previous record of 16 set by Michael Hicks in 1999-00 and Hameed Ali in 2015-16. Mushila ended with 28 points and eight rebounds.
 
Tennyson broke the school record for three-pointers made in a season with 93. It surpassed Josh Washington's mark of 90 set in 2006-07. Tennyson poured in 20 points and was 5-of-10 from long distance.
 
An all-around effort was turned in by senior Terrion Murdix, the reigning SLC Player of the Week winner, who registered 10 points, nine rebounds, six assists and four steals. Senior Jalen Jackson tallied 11 points and five rebounds, while Keys recorded 10 points and eight rebounds.
 
The Demons were carried by a monstrous night from Demarcus Sharp who finished with a whopping 40 points in over 39 minutes. Isaac Haney aided the attack with 10 points.
 
Northwestern State led 11-7 early, but five points by the Islanders including a three by Tennyson put them up 12-11 at the 15:00 mark. A three by Mushila had it even 23-23 with 8:12 to go.
 
A pair of free throws by Murdix had A&M-Corpus Christi in the lead 34-33 with 1:49 left. However, the Demons ended the half on a 6-0 run to take a 39-34 edge into the locker room.
 
Sharp hit a pair of free throws to begin the second to give Northwestern State its largest lead of the game 41-34. Though, lay-ups by Mushila and Murdix cut it to 45-43 with 17:38 remaining.
 
A&M-Corpus Christi took the lead 50-49 on a three by Tennyson at the 14:52 mark. A three by Keys and a pair of free throws by Jackson extended it to 58-51 with 11:42 left.
 
The Demons slowly chipped away and got it down to 66-63 with 4:55 to go, and trailed just 68-67 after a pair of free throws by Sharp with 3:56 left. However, A&M-Corpus Christi didn't relinquish the lead and responded with a 6-0 run to go back up 74-67 after a three by Williams.
 
A&M-Corpus Christi took its largest lead of the game 83-73 in the final minute on a pair of free throws by Williams.
 
The Islanders will conclude the regular season Wednesday in an 8 p.m. road game at Texas A&M-Commerce. At the SLC Tournament, they will play Tuesday, March 7 at 5:30 p.m. in the semifinals on ESPNU.
 
NOTES
- A&M-Corpus Christi won its first regular season title since 2006-07. The program won a championship for the second straight year after winning the SLC Tournament last season.
 
- The Islanders improved to 15-7 all-time against the Demons, 8-3 at home and 4-1 under head coach Steve Lutz.
 
- Lutz is the only coach in program history to reach 20 wins in his first season, let alone first two. A&M-Corpus Christi last recorded consecutive 20-win seasons in 2015-17. It was the seventh 20-win season in program history. Lutz improved to 43-22 overall in two seasons.
 
- The Islanders finished 13-2 at home this year. A&M-Corpus Christi is 224-108 all-time at home and 149-79 at the American Bank Center.
 
- A&M-Corpus Christi is now 158-128 all-time in the Southland Conference since joining the league in 2006-07.
 
- With a 35-31 edge on the glass, the Islanders have outrebounded 15 of 17 opponents in conference.
 
- Northwestern State's largest scoring run with nine straight points. The Islanders have only given up a scoring run of 10 or more consecutive points one time in conference and just twice on the entire season.
 
- After breaking the single-season three-point record, Tennyson now eyes the all-time record for threes made in a career at A&M-Corpus Christi. He's drained 167 and is trying to catch Brandon Pye who made 180 from 2012-16. Tennyson entered the game ranked top-20 in the nation in 3FG% with a .421 mark and was 5-of-10 in the contest.
 
- Tennyson has scored in double-figures in all 17 games. It was his 10th 20-plus scoring outing, seventh this year and third in a row. It was also the ninth time in his career that he made at least five threes and the seventh time this season. Tennyson, who logged a career-high 37:37 minutes, is averaging 18.9 points per game in conference.
 
- Mushila matched his career-high of 28 points set last season at UTRGV. It was his 15th career 20-plus performance and 10th this year. It was also his 43rd career double-digit scoring outing an 19th this season.
 
- Murdix entered the game leading the conference in assists (5.4 apg), assist:turnover ratio (2.4) and steals (2.3 spg). He notched nine assists, three turnovers and four steals in the game to improve on all marks. It was his 38th career double-figure scoring game, 21st this year and fourth in a row.
 
- Jackson reached double-figures in scoring for the 14th time in his career and seventh this season. His five rebounds tied a season-high.  
- Keys hit just his second three-pointer of the season and third in three years on The Island. He scored in double-digits for the 21st time in his career and fifth this season. Keys was 4-of-5 from the field.
 
- The game was played in front of a season-high 3,037 fans at the American Bank Center.
 


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