Photo: Mario Terrana

A Strong Fourth Quarter Prevails Lobos over Lions, 78-71

COMMERCE – Returning home to the Field House after three games on the road, the Texas A&M University-Commerce women’s basketball team narrowly fell 78-71 to the New Mexico Lobos on Saturday afternoon. 

The Lions were up by five after the third quarter, ending the third on a 16-2 run. The Lobos picked to finish second in the Mountain West Conference, shot 9-for-14 in the final quarter, including 4-of-8 from the distance to outscore the Lions 29-17. 

A&M-Commerce falls to 1-4 on the season. All four losses have been to Division I opponents that either played in the NCAA Tournament last season or in the WNIT. In the third quarter, the Lions outscored the Lobos 25-14. Laila Lawrence (Lewisville) had 11 points and six rebounds in the third quarter. 

The Lobos’ Paul Reus made three of her four three-pointers in the fourth quarter, finishing the quarter with 10 points and had 18 points in the game, finishing one rebound shy of a double-double. New Mexico improves to 3-3 on the season. 

Lawrence finished the game with a double-double, totaling 19 points, 12 rebounds, two assists, and two blocks. Dyani Robinson (Langham Creek) also posted 19 while recording six rebounds, one assist, and one block. Returning to the floor after missing the last three games, Symmone James (McKinney – Boyd) scored 14 points on 7-for-10 shooting and grabbed seven rebounds, one assist, and a steal. 

The Lions shot 37.5 percent from the field, making 13 of their 19 free throw attempts. DesiRay Kernal (Newton, Kan.) recorded eight rebounds, six points, five assists, and one steal, and Olivia Russell (Auburn Hills, Mich.) recorded five points, four steals, two assists, and a block. 

New Mexico made 11 three-pointers, LaTorra Duff and Viane Cumber had 15 points each, with Cumber coming off the bench. 

The Lions and the Lobos met for the first time on Saturday. A&M-Commerce is making the return trip to Albuquerque next season.

UP NEXT

A&M-Commerce is back on the road for its next two games in the Beehive State. The Lions face Southern Utah at noon on Thursday and travel to Utah Tech on Saturday at 2:00 pm.

 

Photo: Mario Terrana

Lion Men’s Basketball is back at home on Monday at 6:00 pm.

COMMERCE – The Texas A&M University-Commerce men’s basketball team is back home on Monday night at 6:00 to play its first regular season home game of 2022-23 against Arlington Baptist. 

WHO: Arlington Baptist at A&M-Commerce

WHERE: Commerce | Field House

WHEN: Monday, November 28 | 6:00 pm.

RECORDS: The Lions are 2-4 on the season, while the Patriots are 0-5.

RANKINGS: A&M-Commerce is ranked No. 273 in the KenPom rankings. 

LIVE AUDIO: Lion Sports Network – KETR 88.9 FM, Commerce (http://www.ketr.org)

LIVE VIDEO: ESPN+ | https://www.espn.com/search/_/q/texas%20a%26m-commerce/o/watch/appearance/dark

LIVE STATS: https://statb.us/b/428361

TICKETS: https://lionathletics.com/tickets

GAME NOTES: TAMUC (PDF)

 

LIONS RETURN HOME

• After being on the road to start the season for the first six games, the Lions host the Patriots on Monday.

• The stretch of the first six games away from the Field House is the longest stretch since six games to begin the 2009-10 season. 

DEMONIA NAMED TO ALl-TOURNAMENT TEAM

• Demarcus Demonia continues his excellent start to the season by being named to the all-tournament team for the Capitol Classic last weekend.

• He is averaging 16.7 points per game, leading the Southland and the top-rated player in the Southand by KenPom. 

NEVER COUNT OUT THESE LIONS

• A&M-Commerce has fought back from 10-point deficits in four of the six games this season to either tie the game or make it a one-possession game.

• The Lions were down by six at Air Force before winning the game while fighting back from being down 20 at Northern Colorado to tie the game in the final minute.

• In Sunday’s win over Eastern Kentucky, the Lions trailed by seven points. 

A HISTORIC FIRST WIN

• A&M-Commerce collected its first win in NCAA Division I on November 14, prevailing in overtime over Air Force.

• The Lions trailed by as much as six points in overtime. They sealed the win via a dunk by Demarcus Demonia.

• The Lions advanced nine spots in the KenPom rankings following the win.