Box Score CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – When Texas A&M-Corpus Christi came out bombing in 3-pointers Tuesday night, and didn't stop while holding a decisive inside advantage, it made for a steep hill for the Northwestern State basketball team to climb.

The Islanders had a season-best night behind the arc and outrebounded the Demons 35-21, controlling the game from start to finish in an 88-76 Southland Conference victory for AMCC.

The Demons, playing on the road for the only time in a six-game stretch, struggled throughout while falling to 8-9 overall and 3-3 in the conference. The Islanders (9-8, 4-1) won for the fifth time in six games with surprising 3-point aim, draining 10 (they averaged 4.6) of 18 (56 percent, nearly double their 30 percent average).

AMCC sank five of its first six from behind the arc, taking control early. They took the margin over 10 points for the first time at 46-35 and NSU couldn't get it back under 10 until the final 5:21.

The Demons got no closer than eight, at 80-72 with 2:28 left, and quickly the Islanders got a blocked shot from Rashawn Thomas, who then scored two straight buckets to get the spread back into double-digits at 84-72. NSU never threatened again.

Thomas, a rugged 6-7 forward, posted 15 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks among four Islanders with double-digit scoring. Senior guard John Jordan led with 22 points, going 9 of 12 at the line, where he ranks fourth nationally in free throw attempts. Brandon Pye scored 17, sinking 5 of 8 of his 3-pointers, including 4 of his first 5 in the game's first 10 minutes.

AMCC went up 27-15 eight minutes in on his fourth 3-pointer. The Demons cut it down to six twice, but got no closer and trailed 52-38 at halftime. The Islanders' lead soared to 19 with 11:20 remaining, when NSU started a burst of nine unanswered points to climb back into contention.

Zeek Woodley, the country's No. 3 scorer, topped his 22.3 average with 24 points. NSU got 15 from Jalan West and a career-best 13 by freshman Devonte Hall.

"We got off to a bad start, and you have to give them credit. They did a really good job hitting shots, getting ahead, and coaching the game," said Demons' coach Mike McConathy. "At the same time, I have to give our kids credit for scrapping back in it by forcing turnovers (West had three of NSU's six steals, and AMCC committed 14 miscues), but we missed at least four opportunities where the ball went through our hands or we score, and that's eight points that would make it an entirely different game.

"It was a weird game in many ways," he said.

NSU lost despite sinking 54 percent of its shots. The Demons, third nationally with an 83.2 scoring average, got off a season-low (by nine) 46 shot attempts, and went a subpar 21 of 32 (66 percent) at the free throw line. The Islanders' inside advantage showed up in second-chance points, where AMCC had a 20-6 bulge as they snatched 17 offensive rebounds, nearly matching NSU's overall total on the boards.

"We didn't adjust to the extremely physical game. You cannot say enough about John Jordan (11 assists, only three turnovers) and Rashawn Thomas, who played wonderfully for them. But we've got to get better," said McConathy. "Our guys have to make the decision to improve where we're coming up short and on defense and in rebounding are two obvious areas.

"Zeek's our leading rebounder with four. That's shows a bunch of guys not getting the job done and we're playing at a big disadvantage inside," said McConathy after the Islanders shot 51 percent overall.

The Demons, who have dropped three of their last five, head home to Prather Coliseum for their next two contests, Saturday afternoon against McNeese and next Monday night against Nicholls.