Stephen F. Austin
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Ladyjacks Use Three-Ball to Slip By Islanders, 71-66
1/30/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Stephen F. Austin 71, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 66
American Bank Center • Corpus Christi, Texas
Records: SFA (9-10, 3-5 SLC); A&M-CC (6-14, 3-6 SLC)
Up Next: vs. Northwestern State (12-9, 6-4 SLC)
Thursday, Feb. 4 • 7:00 p.m. • ESPN3
Box Score 
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - The Stephen F. Austin women's basketball team seemingly couldn't miss from the outside on Saturday afternoon, shooting 76.5 percent (13-for-17) from beyond the arc to defeat Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 71-66 inside the American Bank Center. The win marks the first true road victory of the season for the Ladyjacks and extends their winning streak against the Islanders to 17 dating back to the 2004-05 season.
SFA's three-point clinic proved to be the best single game performance in the NCAA this season. The squad's 76.5 percent shooting mark from distance surpassed Cal State-Northridge's 75.0 percent effort to top the list.
Freshman Chanell Hayes and junior Brentney Branch exploded off the bench to spark the three-point barrage, each going 4-of-5 behind the arc on the afternoon. Branch finished with 17 points and a game-high five assists while Hayes chipped in 12 points and a team-best six rebounds.
For the seventh time on the season, SFA placed four players in double figures. Junior guard Taylor Ross led the way with 19 points on an efficient 7-for-12 showing from the floor and senior captain Taylor Schippers hit some clutch free throws down the stretch to bump her point total to 13. Each Taylor made two triples while Ross notched five steals.
SFA, the best shooting team in the league this season, fired at a 51.1 percent clip overall while holding A&M-CC to a 39.1 percent mark. The Islanders hit only 3-of-20 attempts from distance.
The Ladyjacks fell behind 7-0 early due to a cold shooting start, but quickly found their rhythm. Schippers ignited the attack with an NBA-range triple from the top of the key and Powell converted a three-point play to cut the deficit to 7-6 just 3:07 into the game.
Midway through the first, SFA mounted a 9-0 run to take its first lead, 15-14. Branch capped the spurt with a steal and transition layup with 1:04 to play. The `Jacks trailed 18-17 after 10 minutes, but after a bucket by Ross on the first possession of the second quarter, didn't trail for the remainder of the half.
After starting 2-of-8 from the field, SFA made nine of its next 11 shots to build its biggest lead of the opening half, 29-22, with 4:37 to go. SFA took a 35-30 edge into the intermission.
Branch came alive in the second half, going 4-for-4 from deep and registering 13 points. She knocked down a long-range three in the closing seconds of the third and splashed in another one 10 seconds into the fourth to give SFA a 49-43 cushion.
Ross drained one of her two threes with 3:34 to play, giving her team a 64-53 lead - the largest of the day. SFA held off small Corpus Christi runs from there to seal the deal.
Thanks in part to a combined 29 points from Branch and Hayes, SFA's bench outscored A&M-CC's 33-17 on the afternoon.
The Ladyjacks will return home to William R. Johnson Coliseum on Thursday, Feb. 4 to host rival Northwestern State. First tip is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
-SFA-
