CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Texas A&M-Corpus Christi led by as many as 24 in the first half, but HBU stormed back, opening the second half with a 24-9 spurt, before the Islanders held on for an 85-72 decision in Southland Conference basketball Thursday night at American Bank Center.
Junior guards
Anthony Odunsi and
Jourdan Stickler scored 14 points each for the Huskies (11-16, 6-11 SLC), which matched Stickler's career high. Senior guard
Tyler Russell chipped in with seven points and scored his 900
th career point as a Husky. Freshman center
Josh Ibarra added eight points, five rebounds and two blocked shots, while senior center
Ricmonds Vilde also had five boards.
Five players scored in double figures for the Islanders (17-12, 12-5), led by 20 points and seven rebounds from Rashawn Thomas and 20 points, five rebounds and four assists by John Jordan. Jelani Currie scored 14 points off the bench, Brandon Pye scored 13 and Bryce Douvier had 11 points and eight rebounds.
HBU shot 38.2 percent from the field, 6-for-19 from behind the arc, and 24-for-26 from the line for the game, while TAMU-CC shot 56.0 percent, 4-for-11 from deep, and 25-for-33 from the line. The Huskies outrebounded the Islanders, 32-31
TAMU-CC hit its first five shots of the game to score the first 10 points, before Russell buried a three for HBU. The Islanders led by as many as 23 at 44-21 with 1:55 left in the half, before taking a 46-29 lead into the break.
The Islanders shot 72.0 percent in the opening frame, 2-of-5 from 3-point range, and 8-of-9 from the free thow line, while the Huskies shot 35.7 percent, 4-for-8 from long distance, and 5-of-6 from the stripe.
HBU opened the second half with a 13-2 run to get back within six with 15:26 left. Three-straight layups by junior forward
Caleb Crayton, Ibarra and freshman guard
Trey Patterson cut TAMU-CC's lead to 53-50 with 13:36 remaining. After a pair of Thomas free throws for the Islanders, Lasher drilled a three to get the Huskies within two. Currie hit two free throws and a layup, then Douvier made a three and Jordan sank a free throw to restore TAMU-CC's lead to 10 with 9:41 to go.
TAMU-CC was able to extend its lead back to 17, before settling for the final margin.
The Huskies will return home for the season finale against Incarnate Word Saturday at 7 p.m. at Sharp Gym. Prior to Saturday's game there will be a free tailgate sponsored by the HBU Basketball Tip-Off Club, then the Huskies' three seniors –
Tyler Russell,
Marcel Smith and
Ricmonds Vilde – will be honored on Senior Night. To wrap up HBU Basketball's 50
th Season celebration, the last of the six All-Decade Teams, the 2010s team, will be announced and honored during a halftime ceremony.
