CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The defending Southland Conference champion Islanders women's basketball team is looking for a repeat run to the big dance, but they're going to have to do it without some big names.
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi hung the banner for their first ever NCAA tournament appearance, a crowning achievement for Alecia Westbrook, one of if not the best player in program history, along with the two other seniors from last season.
Now, that mantle officially has been passed over to Southland Tournament MVP Paige Allen and fellow fifth year guard Mireia Aguado. Allen and longtime coach coach Royce Chadwick say those two along with some fresh faces on the roster are ready to build on last year's legacy and make it to back-to-back tournaments.
Like the men with Purdue, the Islanders get a big test in the season opener Monday with a road game in College Station against the Aggies. That game can be seen online on the SEC Network+ at 7 PM.