LAKE CHARLES, La. – The regular season champions of the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi women's basketball team couldn't contain a hot-handed Lamar team and despite a late push down the stretch, fell 65-53 in the semifinals of the SLC Tournament on Wednesday at the Legacy Center.
It was a back-and-forth affair for the majority of the game until No. 3 Lamar (19-11, 12-6 SLC) created separation in the third and maintained a lead over No. 2 A&M-Corpus Christi (19-11, 14-4 SLC) the rest of the way. Although the Islanders powered back with 20 points in the fourth, Lamar shot 47.8 percent from the floor in the game to prevent a comeback.
The Cardinals held a 42-34 rebounding edge, though, the Islanders outrebounded them offensively 19-10. The Islanders also forced 18 turnovers compared to only giving up nine.
Senior
Alecia Westbrook turned in the team-high 13 points in addition to recording 13 boards for the double-double. Junior
Violeta Verano also scored in double figures with 10.
The Cardinals had a trio in double figures, with R'Mani Taylor and Malay McQueen each recording the game-high 17 points. The latter made five of the team's nine three-pointers as Lamar shot 50 percent from beyond the arc.
After Lamar opened the game with a three, Allen responded with one of her own to tie it 3-3 early. Westbrook laid it in off the steal by Allen to make it 5-3 before the teams began exchanging buckets. Senior
Hayle Campbell converted the second-chance layup to give the Islanders a 15-14 lead with 1:43 remaining, though, Lamar closed out on a 4-0 run to lead it after the opening quarter.
Sophomore
Jaeda Whitner opened the second quarter with a long-range shot to pull the Islanders back within one. The teams went scoreless the next two minutes until Lamar made one from the charity strip. Sophomore
Annukka Willstedt hit the inside shot to tie it 20-20, though, the Cardinals went up 29-20 before Westbrook snapped the run with a second-chance shot. Junior
Sasha Shishkina nailed the three but Lamar held a 33-25 advantage going into the locker rooms.
Out of the break, the Cardinals extended their lead to 37-25 until Serrata finally broke A&M-Corpus Christi's scoring drought with a long-range shot at the 6:31 mark. Whitner also knocked down a shot from beyond the arc to get the Islanders back within single digits with 2:46 remaining, Lamar took a 47-33 cushion into the final quarter.
Verano answered Lamar with a triple at the 8:40 mark as the Islanders trailed 49-36. Westbrook drew the and-one on the put back to spur an 8-0 scoring run as the Islanders battled within eight with 6:36 to go. Lamar got back up to a double-digit lead and although Verano and Campbell would each make a shot to keep the Islanders within 10, the Cardinals would pull out the 65-53 final win.
The Islanders concluded with a 19-10 record in the regular season for the second year in a row.
NOTES
- It was 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 posted a +9-turnover margin. Their nine turnovers are the second lowest this season, with the least being eight which came against Lamar in game two of the regular season series.
- The Islanders won their second championship in program history but also the second in four seasons after they won the regular season out-right in 2019-20.
- It was the second year in a row that the Islanders secured a double-bye into the SLC Semifinals.
- 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.
- Verano recorded her 16
th career double-digit scoring game and sixth this season. Two of her four made field goals came from beyond the arc.
- Westbrook submitted her 61
st career double figure scoring game, 22
nd this year and 16
th against a conference opponent. Additionally, it was her 34
th career double-double and 15
th this year after grabbing 13 rebounds. Earlier this year, she broke the program career record for double-doubles, previously set at 39 by Elisa Beagle.
- 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.
- Serrata was also 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.
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