Lion women’s basketball earns first-ever top 5 rankings, ranked fifth in both WBCA and D2SIDA.

COMMERCE – The Texas A&M University-Commerce women’s basketball team is the fifth-ranked team in the nation in this week’s Women’s Basketball Coaches Association poll, as announced Tuesday. It is the first-ever top-five ranking for the program. The Lions have been nationally ranked 12 times in the WBCA poll, seven weeks in a row from 2007-08, and now five weeks in a row this season. The Lions are also ranked No. 5 in the Division II Sports Information Directors of America poll. 

Since the last announcement of the WBCA national rankings, the Lions have gone 4-0, extending their winning streak to 13 games in a row, which is a program record. The Lions picked up a pair of road wins before the holiday break, defeating TWU and Tarleton, before earning a pair of home wins against Cameron and Midwestern State this past weekend. Over the last four games, the Lions have outscored opponents by an average of 24.5 points per game, while enjoying a +10.5 advantage on the boards and a +7.8 turnover margin. 

The Lions are one of two LSC teams in the top five rankings, as Lubbock Christian is ranked No. 2. A&M-Commerce is one of the seven undefeated teams left in Division II. They rank in the top 25 in several categories, including first in win percentage, ninth in scoring margin, 11th in offensive rebound average, 12th in scoring defense, 15th in rebound margin, 19th in steals, and 21st in turnover margin. 

The No. 5 Lions return to the court on Thursday as they travel to Laredo to face A&M International. The game will be at 5:30 pm. The Lions will then travel to face A&M-Kingsville on Saturday. The games will be broadcast live on the Lone Star Conference Digital Network, as well as on the Lion Sports Network, KETR 88.9 FM. 

Alexis Bryant named LSC Defensive Player of the Week for a second time this season.

RICHARDSON – Texas A&M University-Commerce forward Alexis Bryant has been named the Lone Star Conference women’s basketball Defensive Player of the Week, as announced by the conference office on Monday. It is the second player of the week award for Bryant this year, and the fifth week a Lion has won Defensive Player of the Week this season. 

Bryant– a senior from Pflugerville– was disruptive in both contests last week for the Lions, anchoring the A&M-Commerce defense in a pair of wins. She averaged a double-double with 13.5 points and 14.5 rebounds per game, while also averaging four blocks and 2.5 steals per game. Against Cameron, Bryant set a career-high with 19 rebounds to go with four blocks, three steals, and 13 points, while helping the Lion defense hold Cameron to just 34 percent shooting. Against Midwestern State, Bryant continued to be a menace in the lane, swatting four more shots and stealing two more balls, while also pulling in 10 rebounds and scoring 14 points. She did it all in just 24 minutes of action.      

Bryant and the No. 5 Lions are on a 13-game win streak to begin the 2019-20 season, which is the best start to a season in program history. The team’s 13-game win streak is also the longest in program history. The Lions will return to the court on Jan. 9 as they travel to Laredo to face A&M International at 5:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on the Lone Star Conference Digital Network, as well as on the Lion Sports Network, KETR 88.9 FM. 

2019-20 LSC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK AWARDS

Offensive

N-11 Mackenzie Hailey, Tarleton

N-18 Maddi Chitsey, Lubbock Christian

N-25 Ashton Duncan, Lubbock Christian

D-2 Mackenzie Hailey, Tarleton (2)

D-9 De’Anira Moore, Angelo State

D-16 Deijah Blanks, St. Edward’s

D-23 Nicole Heyn, Texas A&M International

J-7 Mar’Shalia Lollie, UAFS

Defensive

N-11    Maddison Glass, Texas A&M-Commerce

N-18 Juliana Robertson, Lubbock Christian

N-25    Alexis Bryant, Texas A&M-Commerce

D-2      Juliana Louis, Texas A&M-Commerce

D-9 Sawyer Lloyd, Angelo State

D-16 Sammie Dufek, St. Edward’s

D-23    Chania Wright, Texas A&M-Commerce

J-7       Alexis Bryant, Texas A&M-Commerce (2) 

Jason Burton named WHoopDirt Division II National Coach of the Week.

COMMERCE – Texas A&M University-Commerce head coach Jason Burton has been named the WHoopDirt.com Division II Coach of the Week, as announced by the organization on Tuesday. Burton is now eligible for the WHoopDirt.com National Coach of the Year award, which will be announced at the conclusion of the 2019-20 season. 

It was a milestone week for both Coach Burton and the A&M-Commerce women’s basketball program, as they each picked up historic wins. On Thursday night, the eighth-ranked Lions defeated Cameron 77-55. This victory improved A&M Commerce to 12-0 on the season – the program’s longest-ever winning streak. It also marked Coach Burton’s 100th career win, making him the fastest coach in program history to reach the 100-win milestone. A 107-70 victory over Midwestern State on Saturday kept the Lions unbeaten and extended their historic winning streak.

Burton and the No. 5 Lions return to action this week with a pair of road matchups in the Lone Star Conference. The team will face A&M International in Laredo on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. before facing A&M-Kingsville on Saturday at 2 p.m. in Kingsville. 

2019-20 HoopDirt.com / Pivot Analysis Coach of the Week Winners (Week 8)

NCAA DI: Quentin Hillsman – Syracuse University

NCAA DII: Jason Burton – A&M-Commerce

NCAA DIII: G.P. Gromacki – Amherst College (MA)

NAIA: Hannah Moeller – Mid-America Christian University (OK)

JUCO: Mary “Roonie” Scovel – Gulf Coast State College (FL)