CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – The Texas A&M-Corpus Christi men's basketball team shook off a slow start and delivered a dominant second-half performance to open the 2025–26 season with an 83–56 victory over Trinity Monday night at the Dugan Wellness Center.
The Islanders (1-0) turned a 31–31 halftime tie into a statement win, outscoring the Tigers 52–25 in the final 20 minutes. A&M-Corpus Christi shot a blistering 57.1 percent after the break and held Trinity to just 29.2 percent in the second half, using energy on both ends to pull away in its home opener.
All five starters for the Islanders finished in double digits scoring. Graduate
Mason Gibson caught fire from deep to lead the Islanders with 19 points, connecting on five 3-pointers all in the second frame, including a trio during a decisive stretch that helped blow the game open.
Senior
Daniel Michelini-Jackson added 16 points, six rebounds and spread the offensive with six assists and senior
Sheldon Williams was a steady interior presence with 12 points and five boards. Graduate
Franck Yetna was the third player to make an immediate impact in his Islander debut, finishing with 12 points and seven rebounds. Returner
Kam Parker netted five shots for 11 points.
After trading baskets for much of the first half, the Islanders came out of the locker room with renewed focus. Michelini-Jackson opened the second period with a driving layup, and moments later, Williams got up for the dunk to give A&M-Corpus Christi the lead for good at 17:19.
The threes finally started falling for the Islanders, as Michelini-Jackson and Gibson drilled four consecutive shots beyond the arc to break the game open at 51-37. Back-to-back takeaways led to buckets by senior
Leo Torbor as the Islanders kept rolling with 10 minutes to go. Another steal and score by Torbor finished with the emphatic one-handed slam for a 78-51 lead and Parker stamped the win with a trio of his own to get the score over 80 as time winded down.
Defensively, the Islanders suffocated Trinity's offense, forcing 19 turnovers that led to 23 points the other way. A&M-Corpus Christi also dominated the paint with a 46–24 scoring edge inside and controlled the glass 45–34.
A&M-Corpus Christi will hit the road for a challenging two weeks ahead, heading up for a swing at SMU and Tarleton this weekend before taking on Power Four Kansas and Oklahoma State from there.
#
ShakasUp
