It was the first time the Islanders (1-7) had had the opportunity to host the Longhorns (7-2) after three visits to the Erwin Center and was just the second trip by a Big 12 school to the Coastal Bend.

The past two meetings in Austin had been decided by an average of 8.5 points. Last year, the meeting was decided by five points.  The margin of defeat was the largest in school history passing a pair of 37-point losses.  The most recent was last year at Stephen F. Austin 83-46.

“We knew it would be an extremely tough game for us,” said Islanders head coach Robert Robinson.  “What bothers me most is that we just didn’t compete.  I can stand losing to a team the quality of Texas as long as we play hard.  They are a better team, but they are not 45 points better.

“We just don’t have the experience those teams had to compete with a team like Texas.  Our youth showed tonight.  We also don’t have that player right now who can take over a game and control it.”

Crystal Boyd led the Longhorns, who picked up their third-straight win, with a career-high 16 points which included four, three-point baskets Brittney Raven added 13 and Earnesia Williams netted 11.  Three other Texas players scored nine points.

Texas led throughout scoring the game’s first points on a basket by Williams.  Williams bucket at the 14:45 mark made it a 15-5 contest and the Islanders could get no closer than nine, 21-12, on a layin by Shaye Montgomery after one of two steals by Mercedes Cooper.

The Longhorns would close out the half by outscoring the Islanders 24-7 for a 45-19 halftime lead.  Texas, which hit 48.4 percent of its shots in the game, converted nearly 56% of its attempts in the first 20 minutes.  Things were not any better in the second half as the Islanders were outscored 43-22.  Texas scored the first eight points of the second half.

The Islanders hit just 25.9 percent of their shots in the game, which is a season low.  Elisa Beagle led A&M-Corpus Christi with nine points, while Cooper added seven.

Texas out-rebounded its hosts 49-32 – including 17 offensive.  Ashley Lindsey and Kathleen Nash each had seven rebounds, while Beagle led the Islanders with six.  The Longhorns forced 22 turnovers while committing 15.

The win was the fourth of the season against a Southland Conference school by Texas.  Last week, the Longhorns handed Sam Houston State a 91-41 loss.  They have also beaten Lamar (94-35) and UT-Arlington (76-60).

The Islanders will look to get back in the win column next weekend when they host Alcorn State, Texas-Pan American and Troy in the Flint Hills Resources Islander Invitational at Stripes Court.  A&M-Corpus Christi opens against Alcorn in the late game at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday following the Troy-Texas-Pan American game.

“I am looking forward to next week’s tournament,” said Robinson.  “If we play well those are some games we should have a chance to win.  Those teams are more at are level.  If we play well it will give us more confidence as we get closer to conference play.