NATCHITOCHES, La. – The Texas A&M-Corpus Christi men's basketball team was on the wrong end of a buzzer beater, dropping in the final seconds 79-78 to Northwestern State's last-chance bucket Saturday at Prather Coliseum.
The Islanders (8-8, 4-3 SLC) led most of the night, shooting 60 percent in the first half and building a 17-point lead at their peak. Northwestern State (5-11, 3-4 SLC) chipped that deficit down to just 40-36 at the break and slowly found their way in front for the first time with under four minutes to go. A&M-Corpus Christi saw a 78-76 lead with seven seconds to play, and unfortunately the home team got the three-point shot they needed off in time for the late win.
Both teams shot over .500 from the field on the night, with the Demons holding the edge 56.3 percent to the Islanders' 50.9 percent. It is only the second conference loss in the last five years for A&M-Corpus Christi when shooting above .500 (16-2).
It is the first time the Islanders lost a regular season matchup to the Demons since the 2021-22 season.
Franck Yetna knocked down back-to-back three-pointers to start the game and put the Islanders ahead early 6-0.
Mason Gibson followed with a pair of free throws at 17:50 as A&M–Corpus Christi opened an 8-0 run.
Jaden Haire added a fast-break dunk at 14:16 to make it 17-7 for the team's first double figure lead.
Sheldon Williams capped another surge with a second-chance layup at 6:44, giving the Islanders their largest lead at 32-15. Northwestern State closed the gap late, but
Leo Torbor's free throw with one second left sent A&M–Corpus Christi into halftime ahead 40-36.
The Islanders kept the edge early, with Nicholas Shogbonyo scoring in the paint at 19:02 and Gibson finishing an and-one play at 17:49 to extend the lead to 48-41. Gibson hit a triple at 13:22, and Haire scored on a second-chance layup at 12:13 to keep A&M–Corpus Christi's advantage at 61-47.
That lead dwindled as the shots refused to fall for the Islanders which allowed Northwestern State to answer with a late push, all of a sudden going on top at 70-69 for their first lead of the game with 3:59 left. Williams put the Islanders back in front with a layup at 25 seconds and Shogbonyo added a free throw with seven seconds remaining for a 78-76 lead, but the Demons sent on up in the final second to seal the one-point decision.
Gibson led A&M–Corpus Christi with 14 points. Williams finished with 12 points and five rebounds,
Franck Yetna added 11 points. Shogbonyo and Torbor each scored nine as the Islanders led for more than 36 minutes but came up just short at the finish.
The Islanders are still 2-1 through their four-game road swing so far and will finish out the away trip Monday night at East Texas A&M with a 6:30 p.m. tip-off. They return home for the first time in two weeks next Saturday against Southeastern.
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