LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The Texas A&M-Corpus Christi men's basketball team cut a 21-point deficit and had the game tying three-pointer at the buzzer that just missed the mark as the team settled for the put-back to make it just a one-point loss (83-82) to New Mexico State Thursday Night in the Pan American Center.
After an uninspired first half of play, the Islanders (1-3) showed up in the second to outscore the Aggies (3-0) 50-35, the most they've scored in a half this year, but the deficit created early on proved to be A&M-Corpus Christi's kryptonite once again.
The Islanders shot over 20.0 percent better in the second half than through the opening 20 minutes and made six second half threes to help spur the attempted comeback, including back-to-back shots from freshmen
Isaac Williams and
Damarion Dennis in transition on the steal-and-score.
With under two minutes to go, redshirt junior
Owen Dease finally spoke up after being silenced in the first half to net his first field goal of the night coming from the perimeter to make it just a 79-73 game.
Williams then drew the and-one with under 10 seconds to go and completed the three-point play to make it an 82-80 game. The Aggies converted one of their free throws on the other end and Williams sent a shot up beyond the arc in an attempt to tie, but it missed the mark where senior
Garry Clark tipped it in at the buzzer for the final one-point difference.
Making it apparent he came to play was Williams who went in off the bench to score 21 points off seven made field goals. He nearly recorded the point/assist double-double after dishing out nine assists to go along with his five rebounds and two steals on the night. He was the only Islander to finish with multiple assists or steals against the Aggies.
He was the one assist away from being the first Islander to record 20+ points and 10+ assists in a game since John Jordan (22pts/11ast) did it against Northwestern State on Jan. 20, 2015.
Williams was one of the three Islanders to score in double figures tonight, all coming off the bench as junior
Jaden Walker netted six field goals including a pair of triples to finish with 14 while Clark scored 13 points.
Clark has scored at least 10 points in every game so far this year and now has 28 double figure scoring games as an Islander. Extending from the end of 2023-24, Clark is on an 11-game streak of scoring double digits.
It was the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
With the week off, the Islanders will return home next to host the Island U Invitational Nov. 21-23 in the Dugan Wellness Center as they welcome UT-Martin and Le Moyne for the multi-tournament event.
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