CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – HCU women's basketball won a very tightly contested game against the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders Thursday evening in the American Bank Center.
 
HCU (11-12, 6-6 SLC) and Texas A&M-Corpus (14-9, 9-3 SLC) both played excellent defense in the first half, holding each other to low shooting percentages through the first two quarters. HCU was able to force 11 first half turnovers and held the Islanders to just 24 points, but were trailing 24-20 heading to halftime.
 
HCU fought hard throughout the third quarter to wipe away the Islanders lead. After TAMCC extended their lead to six on their opening the possession of the second half, N'Denasija Collins answered with an and-one layup. The teams traded baskets for the next several minutes before back-to-back jumpers from Enya Maguire and Collins cut the lead to three, 31-28.
 
Makinna Serrata answered with a three pointer on the other end. The Huskies defense put on the clamps over the final five and a half minutes of the third quarter however, holding the Islanders to just two points. During that span Julija Vujakovic knocked down a big three and a pair of free-throws to help wipe away the deficit and give the Huskies a 37-36 lead heading into the fourth.
 
Vujakovic opened the fourth with another made three-pointer, her second of the game. HCU was on fire from the floor over the first three minutes, and extended their lead to their largest of the game, 47-41. The Islanders responded by two forcing two turnovers and regaining a one point lead following a 7-0 run.
 
After a quick Husky timeout, and a missed Islander three-point attempt, Vujakovic drove down the floor and knocked down a big jump shot to give the Huskies another lead, 49-48. The Huskies next trip down the floor resulted in a made free throw from Marilyn Nzoiwu.
 
More strong Husky defense led to another Islander miss and a knock down jumper from Collins on the ensuing Husky possession to extend the lead to four, 52-48 with just under two minutes to play.
 
Serrata was fouled and converted on two free-throw attempts with 1:40 to play to cut the Husky lead to two. A huge offensive rebound from Vujakovic on the next Husky possession reset the shot clock for HCU and forced the Islanders to foul Maguire sending her to the line. After converting 1-of-2, the Huskies lead was three, 53-50.
 
Coming out of a Islander timeout, Vujakovic had her sixth steal of the game off an Islanders inbounds pass. Collins was fouled and sent to the foul line and converted on one-of-two free-throw chances, giving the Huskies a 54-50 lead.
 
With 43 second left Serrata drove down the floor and knocked down a midrange jumper to cut the lead to two. The Islanders fouled and sent Nzoiwu to the line with 22 seconds to play. She made on of two to extend the lead to 55-52 HCU.
 
After calling a timeout the Islanders missed a game tying three-point attempt with six second left and was forced to foul HCU. Following two missed foul shots, the Islanders missed a half court heave and the Huskies walked away victorious in their third consecutive game.
 
 
Collins, the reigning Southland Conference Player of The Week, finished with 20 points in her third consecutive game and reeled in 12 boards for her seventh double-double of the season. Vujakovic finished with 17 points and six steals. Nzoiwu finished just shy of a double-double with 11 points and eight rebounds. Serrata finished with 23 points for the Islanders.
 
HCU heads to San Antonio Saturday afternoon to take on the UIW Cardinals.