CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Despite a valiant effort, the HBU men's basketball team suffered their third straight loss in an 83-76 decision at Texas A&M – Corpus Christi on Monday night inside American Bank Center.
Senior
Anthony Odunsi scored a team-high 21 points for the Huskies (14-10, 8-3 SLC), marking his third consecutive game of 20-plus. The native of Sugar Land, Texas, finished 4-for-10 from the field and an efficient 13-for-14 at the free throw line against TAMU-CC (18-5, 9-2 SLC). Odunsi also pulled down six rebounds and dished out three assists.
Juniors
Colter Lasher and
Alex Fountain joined Odunsi in double figures, recording 15 and 11 points, respectfully. Freshman
Asa Cantwell finished with nine points, recording a career-high three hits from beyond the arc for a sixth time on the season, while junior
Reveal Chukwujekwu finished with seven points and accompanied Odunsi with six boards.
HBU shot 48.9 percent (22-45) from the field, 42.9 percent (6-14) from the 3-point line and a season-high 92.9 percent (26-28) at the charity stripe. The Huskies scored a season-high 16 made free throws in the first half.
The Islanders outscored HBU 42-28 in the paint, 27-6 off turnovers, 11-2 in second chance opportunities and 12-4 in the fast break. Junior Rashwan Thomas led all with a career-high 34 points and 12 rebounds.
Trailing 5-1 after the opening two minutes, freshman
Isaiah Robinson completed a three-point play to pull the Huskies within one. Following a TAMU-CC dunk on the ensuing possession, Cantwell drained a 3-pointer to tie the game at seven-all. The hit from beyond the arc sparked an 8-0 run, as Lasher followed with a layup and trey of his own to give HBU its first lead over the Islanders at 12-7 at the 15:44 mark.
Both teams traded baskets over the next two minutes, with the Huskies still holding a five point advantage, 15-10, before TAMU-CC used a 6-0 burst to retake the lead. Odunsi briefly tipped the score back in HBU's favor with two made free throws, but the Islanders followed with an 8-2 surge to push their lead to five points, 24-19.
A 3-pointer from Fountain pulled the Huskies back within two points, 24-22. However, TAMU-CC outscored HBU 13-4 over the next 3:22 to lead 37-26.
The Huskies cut the score to seven points on three occasions over the final six minutes, before the Islanders went back up by double figures with three seconds left. HBU capitalized on a full-court pass from Cantwell to Odunsi, who layed it in just before the buzzer to enter the lockerroom down nine, 51-42.
Cantwell and junior
Reveal Chukwujekwu opened the second half with 3-pointers to get the Huskies back within striking distance at 51-48, as HBU continued to threaten.
Down 61-54 with 12:18 to go, Odunsi hit two free throws and senior
Caleb Crayton converted a layup to pull the Huskies within three at the halfway point of the period.
Despite several dangerous looks, the Islanders were able to pull away late, leading by as much as 12 points in the closing minutes en route to the 83-76 final.
HBU will look to get back in the win column on Saturday, visiting Sam Houston State in a 4:30 p.m. tip.
