THIBODEUAX, La. – Beginning the second half of the conference slate, the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi women's basketball team will hit the road to search for season sweeps over Nicholls and McNeese Thursday and Saturday.
The Islanders (14-6, 7-2 SLC) will rematch Nicholls (10-11, 4-5 SLC) Thursday at 6:30 p.m. before heading to McNeese (4-19, 0-10 SLC) for a Saturday 1 p.m. game.
A&M-Corpus Christi defeated McNeese 83-63 and Nicholls 58-52 at home in the first meetings this year. Graduate
Alecia Westbrook and senior
Mireia Aguado led the team in scoring in both, each putting up 13 points against the Colonels and 12 against the Cowgirls.
Since those games, Aguado has continued to have a breakout season in her senior year. She is coming off back-to-back career games after her career best of 21 points at Northwestern State was broken in the very next game with 22 points against Lamar. Aguado has made seven field goals in each of the last three games and has significantly improved from her last year's scoring average from 4.1 ppg to 10.0 ppg.
She and Westbrook are the only Islanders to have scored 20+ points in a game this year, as they lead the team in scoring at 10.0 ppg and 11.2 ppg, respectively.
The Islanders are beginning the second half of conference play one game behind first place after falling to Lamar 63-57. A&M-Corpus Christi held Lamar to just a 21.4 shooting day from the three-point line. The Islanders lead the league and ranks #5 overall in the NCAA in 3FG% defense (.24.4). They rank the exact same in FG% defense (.341).
Junior
Nabaweeyah McGill continues to lead the league in blocks, averaging 1.6 per game. Westbrook seconds the conference in rebounding (8.2 rpg), def. rebounding (6.0 drpg), and steals (2.0 spg). She ranks third in off. rebounding (2.2 orpg).
Westbrook is one of three Islanders in the top-five for steals, as Aguado ranks fifth (1.9 spg) and senior
Paige Allen ranks third (2.0 spg). Aguado also ranks fourth in FG% at a .507.
The Islanders lead the Southland Conference in scoring margin (+9.5), scoring defense (55.6 ppg), FG% defense, 3FG% defense, rebounding (40.6 rpg), assists (13.70 apg), and steals (11.40 spg).
Both games will be available to watch live with a subscription to ESPN+ or heard live for free on 1440 AM K-E-Y-S with Doug Kesterson on the call.
NOTES
- The Islanders lead Nicholls 15-9 in the all-time series and have won the last seven meetings. Earlier this season, A&M-Corpus Christi topped the Colonels at home 58-52 thanks to a late go-ahead three-pointer by Aguado helping a 10-0 run down the stretch.
- A&M-Corpus Christi leads McNeese 14-9 in the all-time series and took last season's game in Lake Charles 75-62. In this year's first meeting with the Cowgirls, the Islanders had five players score in double figures for the first time since March 13, 2014, which ironically also happened against McNeese.
- A&M-Corpus Christi remains undefeated in conference play when leading at the half (7-0), and 5-0 when holding Southland teams to under 60 points. The Islanders are 12-0 overall this year when holding the opposition to under 60 points.
- The Islanders are also 12-0 this year when they score 60 or more points. They have scored at least 50 points in every game this year, the first time since 2013-14 that the Islanders have scored at least that many in each of the first 20 games of the season.
- Westbrook became the sixth active player in the NCAA to reach 1,000 career rebounds, now recording 1,085. She also finds her name in the active career leader list in free throw attempts (8th, 680), free throws made (8th, 512), and double-doubles (14th, 39).
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