Islanders Bring Winning Streak Home against HCU, Lamar

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Riding a four-game winning-streak, the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi men's basketball program will host HCU at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Lamar at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at the American Bank Center.
 
A&M-Corpus Christi (15-9, 8-3 SLC) is in a three-way tie for first-place with Northwestern State (16-8, 8-3 SLC) and Southeastern (14-10, 8-3 SLC). The Islanders are coming off an 83-72 road victory over the Lions in a nationally televised game on ESPNEWS as senior Terrion Murdix netted a career-high 23 points. It was a rematch of the SLC Championship last year, which the Islanders won 73-65 to earn the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
 
A&M-Corpus Christi has four student-athletes averaging in double-figures. Senior Trevian Tennyson leads the way with 14.9 points per game including 18.5 in conference. Senior Isaac Mushila nearly averages a double-double with 14.6 points and league-leading 9.8 rebounds per game.
 
Murdix averages 13.1 points per outing and leads the conference in both assists (5.3 apg) and steals (2.2 spg). Graduate Ross Williams scores 10.6 points per game and is third in the SLC in 3FG% (.412).
 
A&M-Corpus Christi has outrebounded 10 of 11 conference opponents so far. The team leads the Southland Conference in rebounding margin (+3.5) as well as scoring (80.6 ppg), free throw percentage (.777), assists (15.8 apg), assist:turnover ratio (1.2), steals (9.3 spg) and defensive rebounding (24.6 rpg).
 
The Islanders rank 9th in the nation in free throw percentage (.776), 16th in steals per game (9.3), 21st in scoring (80.6 ppg) and 22nd in turnovers forced per game (16.3). Individually, Mushila is 18th in the country in rebounding (9.8 rpg) and 28th in double-doubles (9), and Murdix is 17th in steals (2.2 spg) and 25th in assists (5.3 apg).
 
The Islanders have been hot from long range in conference play where they are .414 (94-227) as a team. Most notably, Tennyson is 44-of-84 (.524) and Williams is 26-of-68 (.382).
 
Over the last 10 games, Tennyson is 43-of-79 (.544) from three-point range. He's scored in double-figures in all 11 conference games.
 
HCU (7-17, 4-7 SLC) is looking to snap a four-game skid. The Huskies are coming off tough home defeats to Northwestern State 94-76 and Nicholls 92-91. Brycen Long leads the team with 15.7 points per game and shoots .415 from long range and .906 from the free throw line.
 
Lamar (7-17, 3-8 SLC) has dropped four of its last five but did pick up a road win at McNeese last Thursday 70-63. Nate Calmese is one of the league's leading scorers with 16.6 points per outing.
 
Both games can be watched live with a subscription to ESPN+ with Steven King on the calls.
 
NOTES
- The Islanders are 13-6 all-time against HCU and 7-1 at home. A&M-Corpus Christi is looking to avenge a 90-78 road defeat to the Huskies in the first meeting this year. The Islanders knocked HCU out of the SLC Tournament last year 75-60 in the quarterfinals.
 
- A&M-Corpus Christi has only given up a scoring run of 10 or more consecutive points one time this season, making them one of three teams in the nation to do so along with Auburn and Arizona.
 
- The Islanders are 10-1 at home this year. A&M-Corpus Christi is 221-107 all-time at home and 146-78 at the American Bank Center.
 
- In two seasons under Lutz, the Islanders are 15-0 when they shoot over 50 percent from the field and 23-2 when the opposition scores below 70 points.
 
- A&M-Corpus Christi is 153-127 all-time in the Southland Conference since joining the league in 2006-07.
 
- The Islanders have won two SLC Player of the Week awards this season. Murdix won on Jan. 30 after the victories against Nicholls and McNeese where he averaged 16.0 points, 12.0 assists, 7.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game. It included a historic performance against the Colonels where he dished out a school record 15 assists go along with 17 points for a double-double. Mushila won the first honor of the season on Nov. 14 and third of his career after he averaged 15 points and 11 rebounds in games against Mississippi State and UTSA.
 
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