Top-Seeded Islanders Conclude Regular Season Wednesday at A&M-Commerce

COMMERCE, Texas – Having already locked up the No. 1 seed at the Southland Conference Tournament, the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi men's basketball program will look to win the league outright Wednesday when it travels to Texas A&M-Commerce for an 8 p.m. tip at The Field House.
 
The Islanders (20-10, 13-4 SLC) have won at least a share of the regular season championship. They can win the league outright with either a win over the Lions (13-18, 9-8 SLC) or a Northwestern State (20-10, 12-5 SLC) loss at UIW (12-18, 6-11 SLC).
 
A&M-Corpus Christi won its fourth championship in program history, second regular season title and first since 2006-07. The Islanders have won championships in back-to-back seasons for the first time in program history after winning the SLC Tournament last year.
 
The Islanders, who have won four consecutive road games, secured the No. 1 seed after completing the season sweep over NWST with an 83-75 win Saturday. Senior Isaac Mushila netted 28 points and broke the school record for free throws made and free throw attempts in a game (19-of-24). The Islanders improved to 15-7 all-time against the Demons and 4-1 under Lutz.
 
Prior to Saturday's game, the Islanders honored eight in a Senior Day ceremony. It included Jasman Sangha, Tyrese Nickelson, Ross Williams, Jalen Jackson, Trevian Tennyson, Mushila, De'Lazarus Keys and manager Alannah Yeats.
 
The Islanders rank seventh in the nation in FT% (.785), 12th in steals per game (9.1) and 24th in turnovers forced per game (15.9). Individually, Murdix is 12th in steals per game (2.4) and 22nd in assists per game (5.5), Mushila is 17th in rebounds per game (9.6) and Tennyson is 18th in 3FG% (.425) and 20th in 3FGM per game (3.1).
 
Tennyson has already broken the school record for threes made in a season with 93. He surpassed Josh Washington's mark of 90 in 2006-07. Tennyson is now eyeing the career record in just his second season as his 167 makes are just 13 behind Brandon Pye's 180 from 2012-16.
 
Tennyson has scored in double-figures in all 17 SLC games. He leads the team in scoring with 15.9 points per game on the season and 18.9 in conference.
 
With 11 double-doubles, Mushila is two away from tying the program's single-season record of 13 set by himself last year and Rashawn Thomas in 2016-17. The school record for career double-doubles is 35 by Thomas in four seasons, while Mushila has tallied 24 in his second season.
 
Mushila nearly averages a double-double with 14.7 points and 9.6 rebounds per outing. He leads the league in rebounding and is coming off a 28-point game against NWST which matched his career-high.
 
Murdix ranks first in the conference in assists (5.5 apg), assist:turnover ratio (2.4) and steals (2.4 spg). He averages 13.2 points per game on the year.
 
The Lions are looking to shake-off a 79-75 road defeat at UIW on Saturday. A&M-Commerce took the first meeting against the Islanders last Thursday 84-80 after shooting .633 from the field. The two programs had never played prior to this season.
 
As the No. 1 seed, the Islanders already know they will play Tuesday, March 7 at 5:30 p.m. in the SLC semifinals on ESPNU.
 
NOTES
- Head coach Steve 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 carries a 43-22 overall record 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 has outrebounded 15 of 17 conference opponents so far. The team leads the SLC in eight statistical categories including scoring, scoring defense, rebounding, assists and free throw percentage.
 
- 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.
 
- A&M-Corpus Christi has the highest NET Ranking in the SLC at 194.
 
- The Islanders shoot .401 from long range in conference as a team. Most notably, Tennyson is 61-of-129 (.512).
 
- The Islanders have won three SLC Player of the Week awards as a team. Murdix has won twice and Mushila once.
 
- A&M-Corpus Christi is 158-128 all-time in the Southland Conference since joining the league in 2006-07.
 
- In two seasons under Lutz, the Islanders are 16-0 when they shoot over 50 percent from the field and 26-2 when the opposition scores below 70 points.
 
- The Islanders recently completed an eight-game winning-streak in conference. It was the eighth longest active streak in the nation.
 
- In A&M-Corpus Christi's last road weekend, the team registered wins at Nicholls and McNeese. It was the Colonels first home loss of the season and ended their 13-game home winning-streak. The Islanders beat the Cowboys for the 15th consecutive time dating back to 2013.
 
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