LAKE CHARLES, La. – The Texas A&M-Corpus Christi men's basketball team fell behind early and despite a hard-fought drive down the stretch, they came up just short 66-63 to No. 4 Northwestern State in the Southland Conference quarterfinals Monday at the Legacy Center.
The Islanders (20-14) found themselves in an 11-point hole to start the game as Northwestern State (16-15) came out fiery, making their first three attempted three-pointers. The Demons kept a 10-point lead at the half, but the Islanders powered their own run to tie things at 63 with just over a minute left in the game. However, Northwestern State sank their 12
th three of the night in transition for the final 66-63 score.
The three-point shooting made all the difference in the game, as the teams were basically evened in every other way. Although the Islanders still shot decent from long range with eight made of their own, it couldn't combat the Demons who went 12-of-22 from deep.
Three seniors came away in double figures for the Islanders, with
Dian Wright-Forde leading the team with 15 off the bench.
Garry Clark posted 14 points while
Owen Dease put up 10 on the night. Wright-Forde and Clark scored 10+ points each in both contests this tournament.
Clark, a two-time All-Conference First Team selection, ends the season having scored 10+ points in 33 of the 34 games played this year. As an Islander, he now hoists 57 double-figure point games which puts him in the program's career top-10. His 14.0 career scoring average as an Islander places him fourth all-time in the record book.
In a single season, Clark's 207 made field goals this year ranks fourth all-time in the program. Additionally, Dease broke the single-season record for free throw percentage at a .917 (55-60) mark and also became just the eighth player in program history to post a perfect field goal percentage with a minimum of six attempts, going 6-for-6 against New Orleans in the regular season finale.
The year also ends with the program's fourth consecutive 20-win season and ninth ever. It is the first time the program has ever posted four straight 20-win seasons with
Jim Shaw becoming just the second head coach to reach the milestone in his first two years at the helm. The first was his predecessor, Steve Lutz, when Shaw was on staff to also help guide those 20-win seasons.
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