SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE GAME 2: vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Houston Christian University hits the road for a three-game stretch that starts with a trip to face rival Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Monday night. Tip-off at American Bank Center is scheduled for 7 pm.
HCU fell in its SLC opener on Saturday in Sharp Gym, as it couldn't stave off a Nicholls rally in the second half, and ultimately fell in overtime, 98-94. The loss dropped HCU to 5-6 all-time in Southland openers since joining the league in 2013-14.
The Huskies would break away from a 35-all tie in the first half with a late 7-2 run capped by a
Pierce Bazil drive and score with just over a minute to play, and took a 42-37 lead into the break.
The lead would balloon to double-digits on a
Bonke Maring jump hook in the lane, and to 15 moments later on a three-pointer by
Tristan Moore. The Colonels then began to creep back into the game, and Diante Smith's three-ball from straightaway with six seconds to go, knotted things up at 84 and sent the game to OT.
Nicholls would grab the early lead and never trailed in the extra session. HCU tied it up twice but could never get over the hump, as the Colonels escaped Sharp with the win.
Three Huskies registered 20-point performances among a quartet of double-digit scorers in the contest. Maring and
Jay Alvarez each had 22 points while
Marcus Greene had 21. It was the first time since February 23, 2019 that the Huskies accomplished that feat, when Oliver Lynch-Daniels (24), Ian Dubose (23) and Ty Dalton (21) turned the trick in a 119-113 double-overtime loss at Sam Houston.
Alvarez, who made his return to action after missing the previous three games, upped his scoring average to 15.5 on the season with his career-best against Nicholls. Greene remains just a shade behind at 15.1 points while chipping in 3.8 rebounds and a team-high 3.3 assists per game, which is eighth-best in the Southland. He is seventh in the league in field goal percentage, shooting at a 47.9% clip from the floor this season.
Michael Imariagbe is averaging 11.9 points and a team-high 8.6 rebounds, 2.8 which come on the offensive end. He ranks third in the league in rebounding, a couple of spots ahead of Maring, who averages 7.8 rebounds per game.
Maring posted his first 20-point night of the season against Nicholls, the sixth of his career and first since last January 26 against Northwestern State. The senior center bumped his scoring average to 9.6 per game to go with 2.2 assists (18
th in the SLC) and 1.5 steals (ninth in the SLC).
HCU travels down the coastline to face the rival Islanders, who hold a 21-10 lead in the all-time series. Outside of the COVID year when only one game was played, the two teams have split the last four home-and-homes in conference action. The Huskies last won in Corpus Christi on January 22, 2022, a 77-71 victory at the ABC.
A&M-Corpus Christi (8-6, 1-0 SLC) has eight players averaging 6.5 points or more, led by two players in double-digits. Garry Clark, a 6-8 transfer forward from Tarleton State averages 10.7 points and a team-best 8.1 rebounds, while 6'3 guard Dian Wright-Forde is averaging 10.5 per game. Lance-Amir Paul, a 6'0 transfer guard from Nicholls, averages 9.7 and Jordan Roberts averages 7.6 on 44% shooting from three. The Islanders as a team average a shade under 77 points while allowing a shade under 67.
TAMUCC is coming off a 75-65 win at Incarnate Word in its conference opener on Saturday. Five players dented double-figures, led by Clark's 14/10 double-double effort, 12 from Paul and 11 points on 3-6 shooting from the arc by Roberts.
The Huskies will complete the trio of road games this upcoming weekend with games at Texas A&M-Commerce on Saturday and Northwestern State the following Monday.
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