LOS ANGELES, La. – The Texas A&M-Corpus Christi women's basketball team wrapped up the program's most historic season it's seen on the sport's biggest stage after falling to No. 1 USC 87-55 Saturday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Islanders (23-9) took the first to settle in before outscoring the top-seeded Trojans () in the second quarter to trim a deficit down to at the half. Though, USC proved its seeding in the third to pull away with the momentum for the first-round decision.
A&N-Corpus Christi nearly evened the Trojans in points in the paint 36-30 despite the length of USC getting the best of the Islanders. They trailed USC just 40-37 in rebounds but outrebounded them on the offensive board 18-13.
It was the program's first-ever trip to the NCAA Tournament as the postseason appearance capped one of the most successful seasons the school has seen. The 23-win total was one shy of matching the most wins in a single season. It is just the fourth time that the Islanders ended a season with less than 10 losses.
Showing off in the Big Dance was senior
Mireia Aguado, an All-Southland Second-Team selection, who finished with the team-lead 15 points after going 6-of-8 from the floor. She scored the very first points of the game to account for A&M-Corpus Christi first points scored in the NCAA Tournament.
Graduate
Alecia Westbrook caps her career with one last double figure scoring game, the 82
nd of her career. She turned in 12 points through the team-high 34 minutes played in addition to grabbing six rebounds and three steals. Senior
Paige Allen, recent SLC Tournament MVP, put up an eight-point, nine-rebound, two-assist stat line.
USC won the tip, but Westbrook got in for the takeaway before dishing it to Aguado for the fastbreak lay-in down the lane as the Islanders struck first. However, the remainder of the first would go all the way of the Trojans as they scored the next 21 straight points. It was Westbrook at the buzzer that finally cut A&M-Corpus Christi's drought to light some spark for the second.
Aguado scored once again on a USC turnover, grabbing the steal herself for the 22-6 score at 8:33 in the second. Junior
Annukka Willstedt then got in to force the turnover on the next play as Westbrook converted on a second chance opportunity before drawing the foul on the next shot as the Islanders got back within 22-10 at 7:34. USC broke the slight skid before junior
Jaeda Whitner hit the pull up three in response to cut it back down. A shot clock violation then gave the Islanders back the ball as junior
Tymberlin Criswell made use of it with the inside bucket at 5:19 to get back within nine 24-15.
The Trojans created a bit more of a cushion before Allen swished the step-up three-pointer at 2:11 before following it up with a tough offensive board and dish to Willstedt for the second-chance lay-in at 1:12 down just 33-20.
A&M-Corpus Christi's biggest quarter of scoring was the third with 21 points but unfortunately, it was USC's best shooting as well as the Trojans poured in 35 points through the same period. Junior
Nabaweeyah McGill put back a tough second-chance shot at 6:50 before Aguado bucketed a pair of jump shots to keep the game within a 17-point difference. Criswell got the steal and score at 4:02 to make it a 51-36 game but the Trojans exploded from there to lead it 71-41 heading to the fourth.
The final 10 minutes had the teams pretty even in scoring with USC holding just a slight 16-14 edge thanks to a late off-the-bench three-pointer. Sophomore
Bruna Anguera came off the sideline to connect on a pair of shots herself. The final points came from none other than Westbrook who finished her college career at the free throw line where she netted both attempts to result in the 87-55 score.
The Islanders will look to extend a championship culture in the 2024-25 season after winning three titles in the last five years. Westbrook leaves her mark on each championship won, as the graduate retires her Islanders jersey after breaking the program career records with 3,891 minutes played, 1,163 rebounds (829 def. rebounds), 543 free throws made, 720 free throws attempted, and 40 double-doubles. She finishes second with 1,527 points and 246 steals.
Head coach
Royce Chadwick also concluded his 12
th year at the helm, making it a memorable one as he finally returned to the NCAA Tournament for the eighth time in his career. He ends the season with 750 career wins.
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
