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| Freshman Devin Gibson scored 20 points on the strength of 14-of-16 free throws on Saturday. |
CORPUS CHRISTI ? Freshman Devin Gibson went 14-for-16 from the free throw line, but Kevin Perkins poured in a game-high 22 points to lead Texas A&M-Corpus Christi past UTSA, 73-61, Saturday afternoon in Southland Conference action at the American Bank Center.
Gibson led the Roadrunners (8-11, 2-4 SLC) with 20 points ? his third 20-point outing of the season ? and posted six steals, five rebounds and two assists. Meanwhile, freshman JohnMark Ludwick added 17 on the strength of three 3-pointers.
UTSA forced 22 turnovers ? the 11th opponent with 20 or more ? and were 20-of-26 (76.9 percent) from the free throw line as a team, but shot just 30.4 percent from the floor.
Perkins was 8-of-12 from the field, while Demon Watt added 10 points and Chris Daniels posted nine points and 11 rebounds for the Islanders (6-13, 3-3 SLC). A&M-CC shot 53.1 percent from the field as a team and out-rebounded UTSA, 47-25.
UTSA overcame early foul trouble with Gibson, taking an 18-15 lead on the second 3-pointer of the half from senior Isaiah Allen at the 8:19 mark.
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi responded with a big run over the next five minutes as treys from Perkins and Tim Green capped a 17-0 stretch that put the Islanders up, 32-18, with 3:21 left in the half.
UTSA shot just 36.4 percent from the floor in the first, while the Islanders blistered the nets for 56 percent and outrebounded the Roadrunners, 19-8.
The Roadrunners cut what was a 16-point lead down to 43-33 after a pair of Gibson free throws at the 12:15 mark, but the Islanders answered with 9-2 run to push the advantage to 17. UTSA fought back to within 65-53 on a Ludwick trey with 1:31 to play, but A&M-CC retaliated with six straight points and held on for the 12-point win.
The Roadrunners return home to host Sam Houston State on Wednesday, Feb. 6. Tip is set for 7 p.m. at the Convocation Center.