HOUSTON, Texas – The Texas A&M-Corpus Christi men's basketball team closed out its final road game of the regular season with another high night of shooting as it closed out a 91-79 victory at HCU Monday night in Sharp Gym.
The Islanders (19-10, 11-4 SLC) reached 90 points for the first time in conference play this year and it comes after they shot 55.2 percent from the field and an even 50.0 percent from three-point range. It matches their season-best three-point shooting after turning in a 50.0 clip in their previous game at Lamar. It was also aided by a 51-point second half to pull away from HCU (6-20, 4-11 SLC).
It is also the second game in a row that the Islanders shot over 50 percent from the field with a 55.2 (32-of-58) clip tonight. They are now 25-0 over the last three seasons when shooting over .500 FG%.
Junior
Jordan Roberts, who is coming off just being named SLC Player of the Week, proved his title after setting his new career-high 25 points that was previously set at 22 last week against Northwestern State. Prior to this year, he had never scored 20+ points in a game and has now done so twice in a week.
It is the second time in the last three games that the Islanders had a pair score 20+ points in a game as junior
Garry Clark matched Roberts with 22 points himself. Combined, the two were 18-of-26 from the field while Roberts was also a perfect 2-of-2 from three.
Redshirt senior
Dayne Prim came off the bench to also end in double figures, going 6-of-9 from the floor for 12 points. He led the team with eight rebounds.
HCU got out to a quick 5-0 lead as the Islanders didn't get going until Clark bucketed the hook shot at 18:46. The Huskies pushed out to 7-2 but the and-one by Roberts chipped the Islanders back within a possession, though, the former would maintain separation until Clark and Prim backed each other up with a pair of lay-ins to tie things up at 16 with 13:14 on the clock.
Another tie came at 22-all off the inside shot from Clark and the Islanders finally pulled ahead for the first time at 8:17 after Roberts blocked the Huskies before running the floor to get the tip-in putback. Prim got inside for a 32-26 lead at 4:30 and Roberts went deep at 2:30 to push it to 35-29. With the ball in hand with just 20 seconds remaining in the half, Roberts didn't hold and pulled up for another three-ball as the Islanders led it by eight at the break.
Junior
Tedrick Washington Jr. came out of the half and unloaded with the long-range shot, drawing the and-one for the four-point play as the Islanders led it 46-36 at 17:48. Clark went back up on the offensive board and made it a 56-44 game with 13:29 to go. A&M-Corpus Christi would continue responding to any sort of life from the Huskies and they built their largest lead of the night off second-chance bucket by junior
Dian Wright-Forde at 78-60 with 5:32 remaining.
HCU made a final push down the stretch to chip back within single figures at 1:02, but the Islanders converted on nearly every free throw from there to finish with the 90+ point and +12 point win.
The Islanders will return home for their final three games of the regular season before looking ahead to the SLC Championships March 10-13 in Lake Charles, La. Having already clinched a spot in the tournament, A&M-Corpus Christi will continue fighting for seeding as it currently sits tied for second place with Nicholls.
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