Stephen F. Austin
A&M-Corpus Christi
Islanders End SFA's Streaks In 71-63 Loss
2/14/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – The Stephen F. Austin men's basketball team had their nation-leading conference win streak end at 32 games in a 71-63 loss at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Saturday afternoon inside American Bank Center.
The Lumberjacks (20-4, 10-1 SLC) had not lost a Southland Conference regular season game in 728 days. The loss to TAMUCC (13-11, 8-4 SLC) also ends SFA's 19-game overall active win streak, which ranked third in Division I.
Junior Thomas Walkup recorded 25 points to lead the `Jacks, one of just two to finish in double figures. The native of Pasadena, Texas, netted 8-of-14 from the floor and 9-of-13 from the stripe, adding five rebounds and three assists.
Freshman Ty Charles narrowly missed his first career double-double, finishing with 10 points and nine rebounds. Charles was 4-of-6 from the field with a pair of 3-pointers, while tying his career-high with nine boards for a third time both on the season and in conference play.
As a team, SFA ended the night shooting 38.2 percent (21-55) from the floor, 25 percent (7-28) from beyond the arc and 60.9 percent (14-23) from the line.
The Islanders led 28-24 in the paint, 25-6 off turnovers, 12-4 in the fast break and 30-17 off the bench.
Walkup knocked down his first five shots of the game, as the `Jacks led 15-9 after 6:30 of play. Both teams then played even at 5-5 over the next 4:13, before TAMUCC made a run to take its first lead of the game.
The Islanders held SFA without a made basket for over four minutes, while using a 7-0 bout go up 23-20, before junior Connor Brooks hit a 3-pointer in the right corner to pull it even at 23-all.
Unfortunately, the `Jacks again went cold from the field, being held scoreless for 4:47, as TAMUCC went on a 12-0 run. Sophomore Dallas Cameron then hit two free throws to end the drought and close the half with the Islanders up 35-25.
SFA made a charge out of the break, pulling within two points on an 8-0 run. The `Jacks got quick baskets from Walkup, Charles, Jared Johnson and Trey Pinkney over the first 2:50 to force a timeout by TAMUCC. However, the Islanders flipped the script with a 12-0 run to go up 47-33 and force a timeout by SFA with 11:26 to go.
The `Jacks made several pushes over the next six minutes that kept them within striking distance, until junior Demetrious Floyd hit his third 3-pointer of the half to pull the team back within single digits of at 59-52 (5:16).
Over the final five minutes, SFA cut it to a four-point game on three separate occasions en route to the 71-63 final.
The `Jacks will play their final of a three-game road swing on Monday, Feb. 16, visiting Incarnate Word for the first time in program history in a 7 p.m. tip.
-SFA-
