Big Second Half Fuels A&M-Corpus Christi to 78-66 Win vs. UTSA

Big Second Half Fuels A&M-Corpus Christi to 78-66 Win vs. UTSA

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By Brandon C. Williams
Southland.org


KATY, Texas - Had Charles Dickens been in attendance for Wednesday's UTSA vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi game, the immortal bard would have entitled it "A Tale of Two Halves."

The Roadrunners dominated much of the first half, using a variety of new wrinkles that kept the Islanders off-balance.

After intermission, A&M-Corpus Christi's fortunes turned, as their defense helped spark a 14-0 run en route to a 78-66 win that moves them a Thursday evening date against Stephen F. Austin.

"They played well in the second half. We didn't," said UTSA coach Brooks Thompson, whose Roadrunners ended the season with a 19-11 mark.

A near-suffocating defense helped swing the momentum toward the Islanders (17-14), who held UTSA to just 22 percent shooting in the second half. The Roadrunners made just 6 of their 27 shots and were held to a field goal in a span of 6:05. By then, the third-seeded Islanders picked up the pace offensively, as most of their production resulted in a series of dunks and open layups.

UTSA led 41-31 at the half and held a 47-38 lead with 15:48 to play. At that point, A&M-Corpus Christi turned their game up, rattling off 14 straight points to take the lead for good at 52-47.

"I think the key was that we were able to keep our composure at halftime," said Islanders coach Perry Clark.

The even-keeled mentality spread to guard Kevin Palmer, who scored 19 of his game-high 26 points in the second half. The senior also added five rebounds and seven assists, including one that Horace Bond turned into a dunk that gave the Isles a 70-59 lead with 3:13 left.

"When he gets going, it energizes the whole team," said Clark of Palmer.

A&M-Corpus Christi also used its size advantage to wear down the Roadrunners. Once the Islanders switched defensive schemes on UTSA, the door open for them to harass the Roadrunners, out-rebounding them by a 21-13 margin in the second half.

"They did a great job of exposing us with their size," said Thompson.

Omar Johnson's basket pulled UTSA within 55-51 at the 7:38 mark, but it would be as close as they would come. The Roadrunners failed to make a field goal until Morris Smith IV converted a layup with 1:16 left. By then, UTSA's fate had already been sealed.

Thursday's 6:05 p.m. game against second-seed SFA will mark the second time the two teams will play this season. The Lumberjacks took a 64-43 decision on Feb. 27, a contest in which the Islanders shot just 32 percent from the field and committed 19 turnovers.

"They are very talented team that plays with a purpose," said Clark.

For Brooks, the game marked the end for a senior class that produced 38 wins and a trip to the conference championship game.

"I'm really proud of our senior class," he said. "These guys did a lot for the future of this program."