| Senior Morris Smith IV posted 16 points and a career-high 12 rebounds on Wednesday. |
KATY — Senior Morris Smith IV posted his second double-double of the season, but Kevin Palmer poured in 26 points, including 19 in the second half, to help No. 3 seed Texas A&M-Corpus Christi eliminate sixth-seeded UTSA, 78-66, in Wednesday's first round of the State Farm Southland Conference Tournament.
The Islanders (17-14) trailed by 10 at halftime, but shot 68 percent (17-of-25) in the second and outscored the Roadrunners, 47-25, in the final 20 minutes in the first-ever postseason meeting between the two schools located on both ends of IH-37.
"They played well in the second half and we didn't, and they also did a great job of exposing us with their size," UTSA head coach Brooks Thompson said. "It was as simple as that."
UTSA saw its season come to an end at 19-11, its second consecutive 19-win campaign and the sixth-best season in school history. The 38 victories in the last two seasons is the best two-year stretch since back-to-back 21-8 records in 1990-91 and '91-92.
Smith IV scored a team-high 16 points, including hitting 5-of-6 from the free-throw line, and he grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds to lead UTSA. Senior Omar Johnson added 13 points on the strength of a 6-for-6 afternoon at the charity stripe, while senior Terry Fields pitched in with 10 points.
The Roadrunners were 20-of-23 (87 percent) at the free-throw line, but shot just 37.5 percent (21-56) from the floor, including a 22.2-percent (6-27) effort in the second half. UTSA forced 19 turnovers, 10 on steals (three by junior Devin Gibson, who moved to within five of Lloyd Williams’ school record of 237).
Meanwhile, the Islanders blistered the nets for 62.5 percent (30-48) and were 14-of-18 (77.8 percent) at the line. Palmer was 8-of-12 from the floor and 8-for-11 at the line and he added seven assists and five boards. Shamar Coombs and LaMarr Drake scored 11 apiece, while Justin Reynolds added 10 and a team-high nine rebounds.
UTSA held a 41-31 lead at the break after shooting 51.7 percent (13-23) in the first half. Smith IV had 11 of his 16 in the first, while Southland Freshman of the Year Melvin Johnson III tallied eight behind a pair of 3-pointers.
The Islanders came out firing to start the second half. A long three from the top of the key by Palmer ended a 7-0 run that pulled A&M-Corpus Christi to within 41-38 just one minute and 45 seconds into the half.
UTSA answered by reeling off six straight points, but a Palmer baseline jumper off an inbounds play gave the Islanders a 48-47 lead with just under 13 minutes remaining. Palmer then knocked down a pair of free throws following a technical foul at the 12:16 mark and Demond Watt converted down low to push the cushion to 52-47.
A&M-Corpus Christi limited the Roadrunners to just eight points through the first 12 minutes of the second half and a fast-break dunk by Reynolds at the 5:46 mark helped create a 62-53 advantage, but UTSA pulled back to within seven after a pair of free throws from Gibson 16 seconds later. Johnson drained two more freebies a little more than a minute later to keep the Roadrunners within three possessions, but could get no closer as the Islanders led by as many as 16 down the stretch in holding on for the 12-point victory.