Islanders Host Colonels in Southland Conference Opener CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (Interstat) — The Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders and the Nicholls State Colonels will open Southland Conference play on Monday night at the American Bank Center, with both teams looking to build momentum after inconsistent non-conference schedules. The Islanders (5-6) enter with a slight edge in overall record and will play on their home court, where they are 4-1 this season. Their most recent outing was a dominant 93-36 victory over Southwestern Adventist on Dec. 20. A key performer for Corpus Christi has been Leo Torbor, who scored 13 points in just 13 minutes in that win. The Islanders’ victories have largely come against lower-tier competition, with their most notable win a 57-49 road victory at Lamar on Dec. 6. Nicholls State (3-8) seeks to rebound from a 95-82 loss at Pacific on Dec. 21. The Colonels have shown flashes, including a three-game winning streak earlier this month, but have struggled on the road with an 0-7 record away from Thibodaux. Their success often runs through guard Jaylen Searles, who is coming off a 21-point, 6-assist performance against Pacific. Searles has averaged 16.8 points over his last five games and will be the focal point of the Colonels’ offense. The matchup pits two teams with contrasting recent paths. While the Islanders tuned up with a blowout win over an non-Division I opponent, the Colonels faced a tougher test against a West Coast Conference foe in Pacific. Nicholls State’s challenging early schedule, featuring road games against Kentucky, Creighton and Oklahoma State, has prepared them for conference play despite the losses. For Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, protecting home court is paramount as they navigate a conference schedule that will see them play seven of their next 11 games on the road after Monday. The Islanders have relied on balanced scoring, with Franck Yetna and Cedric Horton providing consistent support for Torbor. The game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. CST tip-off on Monday, Dec. 29. It marks the first of 18 conference games for each team as they pursue a top seed in the Southland Conference Tournament.