Balanced scoring effort leads No. 17 Lions past Cameron.
LAWTON, Okla. – The No. 17 Texas A&M University-Commerce women’s basketball team rolled to a decisive division-opening victory over the Cameron Aggies on Thursday evening, 89-71.
The win improved the Lions to an overall record of 5-1, 5-0 in the Lone Star Conference. Cameron falls to 3-3, 3-3 in the LSC.
There will be a rematch between the Lions and Aggies on Saturday. This time the showdown will take place at the Field House in Commerce.
HEAD COACH JASON BURTON AFTER THE GAME
– On the team’s performance: “We came out the first half and followed the game plan to a “T”. They came out in a 1-3-1, and that was unexpected. Kudos to them for trying something different. Offensively we did a really good job of handling something we were not expecting and still found ways to score. Defensively in the second half, we just stopped playing defense, and it was an offensive battle. Last game it was first to 80 wins, and luckily tonight, we got to 80 first.”
– On having the team all together: “We had two players who have not played in a couple of weeks come in and make a huge impact. And Faith Bland, who really has not played at all, because of the foul trouble in the first half and the matchups played really well. I thought she had a chance to really come on to the floor and make a difference for us, and she played big in the minutes she was in the game. For Dyani to be out for so long, to be 10-for-10 from the free-throw line with five assists and one turnover. She really ran the show and played offense and defense at a high level. She also got some big timely baskets. Then Juliana, who was on a minute restriction, played less than 12 minutes and had nine points and seven rebounds. You can tell it is a different team when we have all our team out there on the floor.”
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
– Dyani Robinson (Cypress – Langham Creek) returned to action and did not miss a beat, matching her season-high in points with 23. She also led the team with five assists. Robinson is the seventh player in Division II this season to go 100% from the foul line with ten or more makes (10-for-10).
– DesiRay Kernal (Newton, Kan.) continued her season’s success putting in 16 points on her birthday while flirting with a double-double, grabbing eight rebounds. Chania Wright (DeSoto) was the only other Lion who scored in double figures with 10 of her own.
– Agang Tac (Sachse) had her second consecutive game with eight points. A group of three other Lions also scored between seven and nine points, including Asiyah Smith (Conway, Ark.) with seven, Jordyn Beaty (Woodville) with eight, and Juliana Louis (Long Beach, Calif.) with nine.
– The Lions out-shot the Aggies from the field, making 44.4 percent of their field goals to the Aggies’ 38.7 percent. Both squads got to the free-throw line at a high rate, but A&M-Commerce went 21-of-27 for 78-percent over the 61-percent from Cameron.
– Turnovers were key as they are in all Lion games, as the Lions scored 18 points off turnovers while Cameron got just six of its own.
– The Lions won the rebounding battle 46-39. A&M-Commerce had a double-digit advantage in both second-chance points (20-10) and the paint points (50-34).
HOW IT HAPPENED
Robinson put A&M-Commerce on the scoreboard first with two made free throws to start a Lion scoring barrage. The Lions would start the game on a tear, going on a 16-0 scoring run led by five points from Kernal heading into the first media timeout. The Aggies would not score their first points until the 4:47 mark in the opening quarter. After the media timeout, Cameron would outscore the Lions 13-9, but the road team held the commanding 25-13 lead after one quarter of play.
After Kernal made a free throw to open the second quarter, Louis helped extend the Lion lead to 40-19 in the frame, which was a game-high to this point after the media timeout. Beaty began to emerge as an offensive threat with eight first-half points as the quarter was drawing to a close, and A&M-Commerce owned the 43-24 lead at halftime.
At the half, the Lions led by 19, and it was mostly to stifling defense and efficient shooting from the floor, shooting 44.4 percent. A&M-Commerce led at the half in scoring with the eight from Beaty. Robinson was not far behind with six, four of which came from the free-throw line. To this point, the road team owned the rebound advantage (25-22), and points off turnovers were in favor of the Lions, 11-4.
As the second half began, the Lions hit an early basket from Tac, but the offense would proceed to turn the ball over three times in two minutes while also forcing the Aggies to go 0-for-4 from the field. The Aggies proceeded to cut into the A&M-Commerce lead with a 10-4 run, hitting three consecutive baskets in the process, making it a 47-34 game with 6:20 to go in the third quarter. After missing six of seven shots, the Lion offense picked up steam from that point to the end of the quarter. After the media timeout, the Aggies went on a 21-8 run to bring the lead down to as little as eight points. The defense was then able to lead to the offense for A&M-Commerce, resulting in four of five possessions ending in points for the Lions. A&M-Commerce went into the fourth quarter with a 59-47 lead.
Heading into the final frame, a pair of three-pointers and aggressive defense led to an 11-7 scoring advantage in the early part of the frame, extending the lead to as many as 16 in that time frame. Physical play dominated the game, and that showed as both teams entered the bonus before the first media break of the quarter. After the media timeout, both teams hit their shots at a high rate, but A&M-Commerce made three straight baskets and never allowed the Aggies to make another move to threaten the lead. A&M-Commerce played with the determination to close the Lion way.
170 Lions named to Fall 2020 Lone Star Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll
A&M-Commerce leads the conference with 62 perfect 4.0 GPAs and ranks third in total honorees.
RICHARDSON – Texas A&M University-Commerce is represented by 170 student-athletes on the Fall 2020 Lone Star Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll, as announced by the LSC office Thursday.
After the fall and spring semesters, they announced the Commissioner’s Honor Roll, with student-athletes qualifying based on grade point average for the current semester. Student-athletes must have a minimum 3.30 GPA for the current semester and be on the roster to be honored.
Of the 170 Lion student-athletes on the Commissioner’s Honor Roll, A&M-Commerce had 62 student-athletes who earned a perfect 4.0 term grade point average, which led the conference. The Lions also ranked third in the league in total honorees behind UT Tyler’s 176 and UT Permian Basin’s 172.
A total of 2,254 student-athletes throughout the league’s 18 institutions in the fall semester earned recognition on the Commissioner’s Honor Roll, with 692 student-athletes earning a perfect GPA.
Student-Athlete | Cl. | Sport | Major | Hometown |
Emmanuel Adeoye | So. | Men’s Basketball | General Business | Richmond, Calif. |
Serina Aguilar | So. | Softball | Kinesiology & Sports Studies | Houston, Texas |
Atiana Alexander | So. | Women’s Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field | Public Health | San Antonio, Texas |
Essence Allen | Fr. | Volleyball | Finance | Longview, Texas |
Phoebe Alvarez | R-Fr. | Volleyball | Wildlife and Conservation Sci | Greenville, Texas |
Ryan Amador | So. | Men’s Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field | Kinesiology & Sports Studies | Jonesboro, Ark. |
Sydney Andersen | Sr. | Volleyball | Accounting | Placentia, Calif. |
Arnezz Archie | R-Jr. | Football | Industrial Engineering | Spring, Texas |
Lauren Banning | So. | Women’s Soccer | Kinesiology & Sports Studies | Pflugerville, Texas |
Brandon Bascue | R-Jr. | Football | Accounting | Flower Mound, Texas |
Devin Beamon | Jr. | Football | Electrical Engineering | Forney, Texas |
Michelle Becker | So. | Women’s Golf | Finance | San Antonio, Texas |
Brody Blackmon | Grad | Men’s Golf | Health, Kinesiology & Sport Studies | Sulphur Springs, Texas |
Kara Blasingame | Sr. | Women’s Soccer | Finance | Oswego, Ill. |
Avery Boley | So. | Softball | Chemistry | Fort Worth, Texas |
Delaney Boley | Fr. | Softball | Biological Science | Fort Worth, Texas |
Evelyn Brown | Fr. | Women’s Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field, Cross Country | Psychology | Paris, Texas |
Rodney Brown | R-Sr. | Men’s Basketball | Business Administration | Beaumont, Texas |
Lexi Bubenchik | Sr. | Women’s Golf | Liberal Studies | New Concord, Ohio |
Frank Burnell | Fr. | Football | Undeclared | Keller, Texas |
Jack Bussey | R-Fr. | Football | Sport & Recreation Management | Scurry, Texas |
Leslie Campuzano | Sr. | Women’s Soccer | Public Health | Garland, Texas |
Drew Carstens | Fr. | Football | Finance | Bridgeport, Texas |
Taryn Cast | R-So. | Volleyball | Kinesiology & Sports Studies | Peaster, Texas |
Chelsea Cheek | Sr. | Women’s Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field | Counseling | Baytown, Texas |
Matt Childers | R-Jr. | Football | Business Administration | Henderson, Texas |
Caleb Cilumba | Sr. | Football | Finance | Keller, Texas |
Emerson Coburn | Fr. | Volleyball | Kinesiology & Sports Studies | Lewisville, Texas |
Chance Cooper | Sr. | Football | Kinesiology & Sports Studies | Leander, Texas |
Shamon Craver | Fr. | Athletic Training | Kinesiology & Sports Studies | Dallas, Texas |
Kyla Crawford | Fr. | Volleyball | Business Administration | Cypress, Texas |
Amber Crews | Jr. | Women’s Soccer | Kinesiology & Sports Studies | Lewisville, Texas |
McKenna Cross | Fr. | Softball | Biological Science | Beaumont, Texas |
Joe Cruz | Fr. | Men’s Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field, Cross Country | Computer Science | Hillsboro, Texas |
Isaiah Curry | Sr. | Football | Learning & Technology | Oxon Hill, Md. |
Chris Dascher | R-So. | Football | Business Administration | Boca Raton, Fla. |
Riley Davidson | Sr. | Volleyball | Marketing | Commerce, Texas |
Da’Jia Davis | So. | Softball | Public Health | Hillsboro, Texas |
Jewelz Demps | Fr. | Football | Technology Management | Forney, Texas |
Veronica Diaz | So. | Women’s Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field | Biological Science | San Angelo, Texas |
Maiya Dickie | R-So. | Volleyball | Public Health | Huntsville, Texas |
Austin Dodd | R-Fr. | Football | Management | Sulphur Springs, Texas |
Mackenzie Dugi | Fr. | Softball | Biological Science | St. Hedwig, Texas |
Samantha Dutton | R-Fr. | Softball | General Studies | Tulsa, Okla. |
Uzo Ebinama | R-Fr. | Football | Criminal Justice | Garland, Texas |
Carson Edwards | Fr. | Volleyball | Criminal Justice | Lubbock, Texas |
D’Angelo Ellis | Sr. | Football | Management | Cypress, Texas |
Dominion Ezinwa | Sr. | Football | Management | Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. |
Trayveon Franklin | So. | Men’s Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field | Kinesiology & Sports Studies | Montgomery, Texas |
Clifford Funderburk | R-Fr. | Football | Business Administration | Forney, Texas |
Paige-Lee Garris | Sr. | Women’s Golf | Political Science | West Palm Beach, Fla. |
Abigail Gatlin | So. | Softball | Kinesiology & Sports Studies | San Antonio, Texas |
Zach Gilmore | Fr. | Football | Electrical Engineering | Daingerfield, Texas |
Katie Givens | Sr. | Women’s Soccer | Learning & Technology | Rockwall, Texas |
Nicki Gonelli | R-Jr. | Volleyball | Sociology | Round Rock, Texas |
Lily Griffin | Fr. | Women’s Golf | Kinesiology & Sports Studies | Palmerston North, New Zealand |
Tyler Guillory | Grad | Men’s Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field | Business Administration | Houston, Texas |
Shelby Guin | Jr. | Athletic Training | Kinesiology & Sports Studies | Tomball, Texas |
Noah Harris | R-So. | Football | Physics | Stratford, Texas |
Kinsie Hebler | Sr. | Softball | Biological Science | Cypress, Texas |
Sophie-Charlott Hempel | Sr. | Women’s Golf | Psychology | Pirmasens, Germany |
Dylan Henderson | Sr. | Men’s Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field | Health, Kinesiology & Sport Studies | Duncanville, Texas |
Christina Hernandez | Fr. | Women’s Soccer | Interdisciplinary Studies | Denison, Texas |
Symmone James | R-Fr. | Women’s Basketball | Kinesiology & Sports Studies | McKinney, Texas |
Bryson Jenkins | R-So. | Football | Sport & Recreation Management | Frisco, Texas |
Nathan Jester | R-Fr. | Football | History | Austin, Texas |
Corben Jimenez | Fr. | Football | Business Administration | Klein, Texas |
Braeja Johnson | Fr. | Women’s Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field | Biological Science | Crowley, Texas |
Tori Johnson | Fr. | Athletic Training | Undecided – Pre-Nursing | Grand Prairie, Texas |
Jadin Jones | Fr. | Football | Public Health | Killeen, Texas |
William Keeler | Fr. | Football | Undeclared | Gallup, N.M. |
Chandler King | Fr. | Men’s Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field | Computer Science | Hughes Springs, Texas |
Kaitlyn King | Fr. | Women’s Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field, Cross Country | Finance | Frisco, Texas |
Sean-Krystoff King | Fr. | Football | Computer Science | Humble, Texas |
Leo Lara | R-Jr. | Men’s Basketball | Sport & Recreation Management | Santa Rosa, Texas |
Antonio Leali’ie’e | R-Sr. | Football | Health, Kinesiology & Sports Studies | Copperas Cove, Texas |
Spencer Long | So. | Football | General Studies | Mont Belvieu, Texas |
Kayla Lucas | R-Fr. | Volleyball | Public Health | Colorado Springs, Texas |
Madison Luther | Jr. | Volleyball | Marketing | Sealy, Texas |
Gage Marshall | Fr. | Men’s Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field | Kinesiology & Sports Studies | Windsor, Ontario, Canada |
Yenifer Martinez | So. | Women’s Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field, Cross Country | Kinesiology & Sports Studies | Irving, Texas |
Brooklyn Matthews | Fr. | Women’s Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field | Accounting | Commerce, Texas |
Hallie McCarroll | Jr. | Women’s Soccer | General Studies | Frisco, Texas |
Tyler McDonough | Grad | Men’s Golf | Health, Kinesiology & Sports Studies | Horseshoe Bay, Texas |
Michael McIntosh | Fr. | Football | Accounting | Beaumont, Texas |
Riley McIntyre | Fr. | Men’s Basketball | Kinesiology & Sports Studies | Austin, Texas |
Cooper Miller | Fr. | Men’s Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field, Cross Country | Electrical Engineering | Big Spring, Texas |
Hunter Miller | R-Fr. | Football | Electrical Engineering | Bushland, Texas |
Dallas Millin | Sr. | Men’s Golf | Finance | Wright, Wyo. |
Uxua Modrego | Fr. | Softball | Biological Science | Burlada, Spain |
Ta’Lyn Moody | Sr. | Softball | Secondary Education | Mansfield, Texas |
Matt Mora | R-Sr. | Football | General Business | Manor, Texas |
Mallory Morgan | Jr. | Women’s Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field, Cross Country | Biological Science | Katy, Texas |
Maryam Muhammad | Sr. | Women’s Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field | Interdisciplinary Studies | Spring, Texas |
Patrick Mulligan | So. | Men’s Golf | Management | Dallas, Texas |
Tehillah Ndhlovu | So. | Women’s Soccer | Kinesiology & Sports Studies | York, England |
Solomon Ndukwe | R-Jr. | Football | Kinesiology & Sports Studies | Alief, Texas |
Kimber Neal | Jr. | Softball | Political Science | Humble, Texas |
Karlee Nichols | Jr. | Women’s Golf | Public Health | San Antonio, Texas |
Danielle Nicholson | Fr. | Women’s Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field | Undecided – Pre-Nursing | McKinney, Texas |
Michael Noble | So. | Football | Kinesiology & Sports Studies | Orange, Calif. |
Dorian Norris | Fr. | Women’s Basketball | Construction Engineering | Lake Dallas, Texas |
Keekee Nowlin | Sr. | Women’s Basketball | Public Health | Bryan, Texas |
Tyson Oliver | Fr. | Football | Kinesiology & Sports Studies | Royse City, Texas |
Inma Ortiz Prieto | Jr. | Women’s Golf | AgSciTech/Ornament Hort Emphas | Huelva, Spain |
Emily Otto | Jr. | Softball | Interdisciplinary Studies | Richmond, Texas |
Axel Paolucci | Fr. | Men’s Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field | General Business | Lyon, France |
Cally Pausewang | Sr. | Softball | Mathematics | Bastrop, Texas |
Jessie Payne | Fr. | Women’s Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field | Accounting | Greenville, Texas |
Alex Peavy | R-So. | Men’s Basketball | Sport & Recreation Management | San Antonio, Texas |
Aiden Pelphrey | So. | Men’s Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field | Sport & Recreation Management | Princeton, Texas |
Ashley Pennington | So. | Volleyball | Psychology | Frisco, Texas |
Ushan Perera | Fr. | Men’s Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field | Construction Engineering | Mahabage, Sri Lanka |
Jen Peters | So. | Women’s Soccer | Kinesiology & Sports Studies | Allen, Texas |
Cameron Proctor | Jr. | Football | Criminal Justice | Oxon Hill, Md. |
Hyaznarely ‘Nelly’ Ramirez | Sr. | Athletic Training | Kinesiology & Sports Studies | Greenville, Texas |
Dominique Ramsey | R-Sr. | Football | Industrial Engineering | Converse, Texas |
Maddy Rashford | R-Fr. | Volleyball | Kinesiology & Sports Studies | Placentia, Calif. |
Kyevon Rider | R-So. | Football | Mathematics | Whitehouse, Texas |
Rylie Robertson | Sr. | Women’s Soccer | Interdisciplinary Studies | Rockwall, Texas |
Ashlyn Romine | Fr. | Volleyball | Environmental Science | Rye, Colo. |
Brianda Rosales-Ramirez | Fr. | Women’s Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field, Cross Country | Kinesiology & Sports Studies | Celina, Texas |
Niv Rozenholtz | Fr. | Men’s Basketball | General Business | St. Legier, Switzerland |
Lauren Ruminer | So. | Women’s Soccer | Visual Communication | Durant, Okla. |
Mason Russ | Jr. | Men’s Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field | Kinesiology & Sports Studies | Grove, Okla. |
Steven Sanchez | Sr. | Men’s Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field | Health, Kinesiology & Sports Studies | New Braunfels, Texas |
Madison Schaefer | So. | Softball | Finance | Frisco, Texas |
Bella Schmukal | Fr. | Volleyball | Kinesiology & Sports Studies | Rockwall, Texas |
Makenzie Schott | Fr. | Women’s Basketball | Undecided – Pre-Nursing | Flower Mound, Texas |
Lauren Shaw | So. | Women’s Soccer | Kinesiology & Sports Studies | Livingston, Texas |
Shelbi Sheppard | R-So. | Volleyball | Kinesiology & Sports Studies | Emory, Texas |
Alex Shillow | R-Sr. | Football | Business Administration | Pflugerville, Texas |
Ashley Shipley | Fr. | Women’s Basketball | Kinesiology & Sports Studies | Tucumcari, N.M. |
Aislynn Shore | Fr. | Volleyball | Criminal Justice | Hockley, Texas |
Jayde Sickels | Fr. | Volleyball | Kinesiology & Sports Studies | Greenville, Texas |
Jhonee’ Simpson | Fr. | Athletic Training | Kinesiology & Sports Studies | Mount Pleasant, Texas |
Naomi Sink | So. | Women’s Soccer | Criminal Justice | Plano, Texas |
Dixon Siuele | Sr. | Football | General Studies | Pago Pago, American Samoa |
Destiny Skidmore | Fr. | Women’s Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field | Studio Art | Marshfield, Mo. |
Chealsea Slider | Sr. | Softball | Health, Kinesiology & Sports Studies | Texarkana, Ark. |
Asiyha Smith | R-Fr. | Women’s Basketball | Criminal Justice | Conway, Ark. |
Austin Smith | R-Sr. | Football | Liberal Studies | Buford, Ga. |
D’Ante Smith | Fr. | Football | Kinesiology & Sports Studies | Richardson, Texas |
Anne Spearman | Jr. | Women’s Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field | Health, Kinesiology & Sports Studies | Mansfield, Texas |
Connor Stockerl | Fr. | Men’s Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field, Cross Country | Business Administration | Conroe, Texas |
Melissa Storey | Fr. | Women’s Soccer | General Business | Tyne and Wear, England |
Jovin Tan | Jr. | Men’s Golf | Business Administration | Taiping, Malaysia |
Adrian Taylor | Fr. | Men’s Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field | Business Administration | Stellenbosch, South Africa |
Dejhia Taylor | Sr. | Athletic Training | Kinesiology & Sports Studies | Prosper, Texas |
Imani Taylor | R-Fr. | Women’s Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field | Kinesiology & Sports Studies | Sulphur Springs, Texas |
Jordan Teal | Fr. | Men’s Basketball | Psychology | Austin, Texas |
Dylan Theiss | Grad | Athletic Training | Health, Kinesiology & Sport Studies | Hackensack, N.J. |
Karena Tipton | R-Fr. | Volleyball | Sport & Recreation Management | Midlothian, Texas |
Sarah Tipton | Fr. | Women’s Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field | Biological Science | Forney, Texas |
Tanner Townsend | Fr. | Men’s Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field, Cross Country | Kinesiology & Sports Studies | Royse City, Texas |
Keinoshin Toyota | Grad | Athletic Training | Health, Kinesiology & Sport Studies | Hiroshima, Japan |
Iniuto Ukpong | Sr. | Women’s Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field | Kinesiology & Sports Studies | Arlington, Texas |
Celeste Vela | Jr. | Volleyball | Industrial Engineering | Guadalajara, Mexico |
Carter Waid | Fr. | Football | Marketing | Plano, Texas |
Hailey Wanoreck | Grad | Women’s Indoor Track & Field, Outdoor Track & Field | Health, Kinesiology & Sports Studies | Beaumont, Texas |
Izzy Ward | Sr. | Women’s Soccer | Public Health | McKinney, Texas |
Cora Welch | Sr. | Women’s Soccer | Visual Communication | Plano, Texas |
Cedrick Wilcox III | Sr. | Football | Business Administration | Port St. Lucie, Fla. |
Ariana Williams | Jr. | Athletic Training | Kinesiology & Sports Studies | Mansfield, Texas |
Saylor Williams | Fr. | Softball | Undecided – Pre-Nursing | Jacksonville, Texas |
Christian Wise | R-So. | Football | Liberal Studies | Houston, Texas |
Sarah Wongsinth | Sr. | Women’s Golf | Sport & Recreation Management | Udon Thani, Thailand |
Devlen Woods | R-Fr. | Football | General Business | Tyler, Texas |
Diamond Woods | Fr. | Volleyball | Marketing | Killeen, Texas |
Madison Zick | Sr. | Women’s Soccer | Communication Studies | Arlington, Texas |