NACOGDOCHES — The swagger that the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks program displayed the last five seasons in earning four NCAA Tournament berths is taking body blows.

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi scored the game’s first 17 points, then withstood rallies by the Lumberjacks in defeating SFA 65-55 at William R. Johnson Coliseum Wednesday night.

SFA (13-12, 6-7), the preseason favorite to win the Southland, has fallen a game under .500 in the league and needs a big push in its last five games just to advance to the Southland Conference Tournament in Katy.

The top eight league teams will play in that event, which SFA has won four of the last five seasons.

Playing with a limited roster due to injuries and other player losses, the Lumberjacks’ liabilities were plentiful against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (11-15, 6-7), which came into the game as a middle-of-the-pack league team as well.

SFA was outrebounded by nine and managed just 17 field goals.

Head coach Kyle Keller’s team had a decisive edge at the free throw line, getting there 25 times compared to the Islanders’ 10.

But the Lumberjacks made just 16 free shots.

Senior guard Shannon Bogues led SFA with 17 points, and junior Kevon Harris added 14. Five other players combined for the remaining 24 points.

The offense needs big scoring games from Bogues, Harris and Davonte Fitzgerald to have a chance. Bogues was 5-of-17 from the field, and Harris was 5-of-8. Fitzgerald, in his lone season at SFA as a graduate player after transferring in from Minnesota, was 2-of-9 from the field.

With 6-8 senior TJ Holyfield lost before the season with a shoulder injury and the team without guard Aaron Augustine, who is no longer on the squad, the Lumberjacks have become stagnant on offense.

The offense needs big scoring games from Bogues, Harris and Davonte Fitzgerald to have a chance. Bogues was 5-of-17 from the field, and Harris was 5-of-8. Fitzgerald, in his lone season at SFA as a graduate player after transferring in from Minnesota, was 2-of-9 from the field.

SFA’s bench supplied five points and the team managed just nine assists.

The visitors got a huge game from Kareem South, who scored 29 points on 12-of-22 shooting, including 5-of-10 pop on three-pointers.

Emmanuel Toney added 12, and Elijah Schmidt scored eight.

After falling behind by 17 early, SFA closed to within 27-24 at halftime and twice tied the game in the second half. The final time came on guard John Comeaux’s 3-pointer that tied the contest at 41-41.

The Islanders had more in their tank late, throwing in a few 3-pointers and putting in put backs under the goal after missed shots.

SFA has now last three home league games, including one against Incarnate Word at 4:30 p.m. Saturday and the season finale against first-place Sam Houston State on March 9.

Besides the two home games, SFA has road contests left with Central Arkansas, Lamar and Abilene Christian.