LAKE CHARLES, La. – Gunning for its first tournament title in program history, the regular season champions of the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi women's basketball team will begin its campaign against Lamar on Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. in the semifinals of the 2022-23 Southland Conference Tournament in the Legacy Center.
The Islanders (19-10, 14-4 SLC) closed out the regular season on a five-game winning streak to secure the regular season title for the second time in program history and second in four seasons.
They concluded the regular season with a 61-53 win at Texas A&M-Commerce to finish with an 8-1 road record in conference play this year, the best in program history since joining the league in 2006. The Islanders finished with a 19-10 overall record for the second season in a row.
It is also the second year in a row that the Islanders secured a double-bye into the SLC Semifinals. A win would bring A&M-Corpus Christi's win-total to 20 this year, the first 20+ win season since 2019-20 when it won its first regular season title.
Senior
Alecia Westbrook was named the SLC Player of the Year, in addition to repeating as the Defensive Player of the Year. It is the first time in program history that an Islander was named Player of the Year, as well as the first time a player repeated a superlative. Westbrook was named to the All-Defensive team for the second year in a row, also a first for the Islanders.
Westbrook was the only player to average a double-double in the Southland, averaging 12.6 ppg and 10.0 rpg on the year. She led the league in rebounding for the entire conference slate and finished atop the rankings in defensive rebounds per game (7.5), total rebounds (291), and double-doubles (14). Additionally, she was top-five in steals at 57 and top-10 in blocks with 25.
She and redshirt senior
Makinna Serrata were both named to the All-Conference First-Team for the second year in a row. It marks the first time the Islanders had a player be named to the First-Team multiple times, let alone two.
Serrata led the Islanders in scoring for the second year in a row with 12.8 ppg, along with posting the highest field goal percentage at .489 to finish second in the Southland. In conference play, she averaged 14.0 ppg and was .511 from the floor. She scored in double figures over 20 times this year in addition to posting four 20+ scoring performances, all in conference play.
The Islanders nationally rank 19th in scoring defense (55.4), and 29th in opponent field goal percentage (.365), which they lead the Southland in along with opponent 3FG percentage (.272) in which they are nationally ranked 22nd.
Individually, Westbrook ranks 17th in defensive rebounds per game (7.5), 23rd in rebounds per game (10.0), 24th in double-doubles (14), 31st in total rebounds (291), 38th in free throws attempted (175), and 46th in free throws made (131).
No. 3 Lamar (18-11, 12-6 SLC) is coming off an 80-75 overtime thriller in the quarterfinals against No. 6 McNeese to survive and advance. Five Cardinals scored in double figures to secure the victory, with Akasha Davis pouring in the game-high 25 points. Davis was an All-Conference First-Team selection.
The game can be watched live with a subscription to ESPN+, and can also be heard live for free on 1440 AM K-E-Y-S with Doug Kesterson on the call.
NOTES
- Lamar leads A&M-Corpus Christi 20-12 all-time, though, the teams split the season series this year. The Islanders topped the Cardinals 61-59 after trailing for 31:13 minutes of the game and overcoming a 12-point deficit. It was the first time the teams had played each other since Feb. 20, 2021 and the first time the Islanders won at Lamar since the 2019-20 season.
- It will be just the third meeting between the teams in the postseason since the Islanders joined the league in 2006-07, and first since 2010.
- The Islanders will be going for their first SLC Tournament game win since the 2018-19 season when they won three to make it to the title game. The 2019-20 tournament was cancelled due to COVID-19 and the Islanders did not make the tournament in 2020-21.
- The Islanders ended the year 17-3 (12-3 SLC) when they hold the opposition to under 60 points. They held their opposition to under 60 points in 15 of 18 SLC play, and four to under 50 points.
- Additionally, the Islanders ended 16-4 (12-2 SLC0 when they outrebound the opposition and outrebounded the opposition in 14 of 18 SLC games.
- The Islanders are 40-27 all-time in the month of March. Under head coach
Royce Chadwick, the Islanders are 105-84 all-time in the Southland Conference.
- The Islanders were predicted to win the league prior to the start of the season for the first time in program history, making it the first time the Islanders won the regular season after being picked to win it.
Stay Social
Keep up with the women's basketball program via its Facebook page (
Islanders Women's Basketball) and follow the program on Twitter (
@Islanders_WBB) and Instagram (
@IslandersWBB).
#ShakasUp
