The men’s basketball team, behind strong performances from all around the team, nearly put up triple digits on the scoreboard once again in their 95-70 win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
TAMU-CC’s Bryce Douvier was the most forceful Islander with 28 points, but overall, five Aggies reached the double-figure point mark. Tyler Davis led the Aggies with 16 points and eight total rebounds. Tonny Trocha-Morelos pitched in with a career-high 15 points, and shot 6-for-7 from the field, including hitting on three of his four three-point attempts.
“You never anticipate that [Trocha-Morelos] is going to make three three’s,” Texas A&M head coach Billy Kennedy said. “I think we have the chance of being a good free throw-shooting team. Anytime you make 24 free throws in-a-row, they’re all very good free throw shooters and they shouldn’t miss. [Bryce Douvier for Texas A&M-Corpus Christi], who’s a fifth year senior, for him to have 28 points, he’s a very good player. He’s a tough matchup for us.”
Texas A&M (3-0) took control of the Islanders (1-1) early in the game. The only thing that the Islanders were able to win was opening tipoff, as Danuel House and D.J. Hogg took over the game quick with some early baskets. The Islanders struggled from the field, and at one point shot just 2-for-11.
“Obviously I’m disappointed,” Corpus Christi head coach Willis Wilson. “I really didn’t think that the first ten minutes of that game was really indicative of who we are. A&M stayed true to their identity, they played the game they were supposed to play… We have rarely played well when [Rashawn Thomas] has two fouls that early in the game. He is such an emotional kid, he’s a great kid.”
Tempers flared when A&M-CC’s Rashawn Thomas knocked over a table after being charged with his third personal foul, which subsequently resulted in a technical foul. This lit a fire under the Islanders in the final minutes of the opening half, as they shot 6-for-6 to close out the half and led 47-34 at the break.
Although the Aggies finished off the first half on a cold note, back-to-back alley-oops from Anthony Collins to Danuel House in the second half revamped the Reed Arena crowd to finish out the game. After halftime, the Aggies never looked back and put it in cruise control the rest of the way.
“I feel great, I feel great,” Trocha-Morelos said. “Helping my team getting the win, but it’s not just about me, it’s about the team. Everybody did a great job sharing the ball, finding the lane when it was open. It’s all about the team… I’m just trying to do my best every game.”
The Aggie men’s basketball team will return to Reed Arena one more time before heading to the Bahamas to take on Texas in the first round of the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament. Their final matchup before the trip will tipoff at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday at Reed Arena against UNC Asheville. The match will be available on SEC Network + and also on TAMUSN radio.
