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TRACK AND FIELD
Lion track picks up 27 USTFCCCA All-Region honors.
NEW ORLEANS – The Texas A&M University-Commerce track and field programs are represented by 17 student-athletes on the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Region teams for the 2018 NCAA Division II indoor track & field season, as announced by the USTFCCA on Monday.
The Lions earned 27 total all-region honors. The top five individuals in each event from each region made All-Region distinction, in addition to each of the members of the regions’ top three relay teams. The regions used for this award – Atlantic, Central, East, Midwest, South, South Central, Southeast, and West – match those used during the cross country season.
Four Lions – two men and two women – earned three all-region honors apiece. On the men’s side, Jude Christine and Rashard Clark picked up three all-region awards, while on the women’s team, Kamryn McKee and Minna Svaerd did so.
D’Lance Sharp on the men’s team and Julia Seigerroth on the women’s side each earned two all-region honors.
The 2018 NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships will take place on March 9-10 in Pittsburg, Kan. and announce Qualifiers Tuesday.
2018 USTFCCCA NCAA DIVISION II ALL-REGION HONOREES
| Dorian Andrews | 60 Meter Hurdles |
| Joseph Brown | Weight Throw |
| Jude Christine | 200 Meters |
| Jude Christine | 400 Meters |
| Jude Christine | 4×400 Relay |
| Rashard Clark | 200 Meters |
| Rashard Clark | 400 Meters |
| Rashard Clark | 4×400 Relay |
| Hudson Hall | Pole Vault |
| Sir Morgan Loudd | Triple Jump |
| Florian Obst | Heptathlon |
| D’Lance Sharp | 200 Meters |
| D’Lance Sharp | 4×400 Relay |
| DeVontae Steele | Triple Jump |
| Dedrian Windham | 4×400 Relay |
| Chelsea Cheek | High Jump |
| Kamryn McKee | 200 Meters |
| Kamryn McKee | 400 Meters |
| Kamryn McKee | 4×400 Relay |
| Anitial’a Robins | Weight Throw |
| Julia Seigerroth | 60 Meter Hurdles |
| Julia Seigerroth | Pentathlon |
| Ro’Nisha Simpson | 4×400 Relay |
| Joy Spann | 4×400 Relay |
| Minna Svaerd | 400 Meters |
| Minna Svaerd | 4×400 Relay |
| Minna Svaerd | Pole Vault |
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Rooks, Willford named LSC Players of the Week.
COMMERCE– Texas A&M University-Commerce men’s basketball players Willie Rooks and Daquane Willford have been named the Lone Star Conference Players of the Week. Rooks was named Offensive Player of the Week while Willford was named Defensive Player of the Week. The awards were announced Monday by the conference office.
Rooks– a junior from Houston–led the Lions in scoring in both of their wins against nationally ranked opponents last week. He shot 53 percent from the field and better than 50 percent from behind the arc. Rooks had 13 points in the Lions’ 67-66 win over No. 7 West Texas A&M, draining four threes. He then had 24 points in the Lions’ dominant 29-point win over No. 12 UT Permian Basin. He hit five threes in the game and also had four assists. Rooks is sixth in the LSC in scoring average, seventh in field goal percentage, second in three-point percentage and sixth in minutes.
Willford– a senior from East Chicago, Ind.– helped the Lions knock off two nationally ranked opponents last week and was a force on the defensive end. He had two blocks and five steals and helped the Lions hold opponents to just 38 percent shooting from the field and 21 percent from behind the arc. Willford had a block and added a team-high 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting in the team’s one-point win over No. 7 West Texas A&M. He then had a block and five steals against No. 12 UT Permian Basin in the Lions’ 29-point win. He also averaged 6.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists, using his defensive rebounds to help create in transition.
The Lions are the fourth seed in the Lone Star Conference tournament and will face Angelo State in the first round of the LSC Tournament. The game will be played on Friday at 6 p.m. at Dr. Pepper Arena in Frisco. The semifinal round will be on Saturday with the championship game on Sunday.
SOFTBALL
No. 25 A&M-Commerce finishes off sweep of Missouri Southern with a 7-1 win.
COMMERCE – The No. 25 Texas A&M University-Commerce softball team finished off a sweep of Missouri Southern State University with a 7-1 victory at the John Cain Family Softball Complex on Monday afternoon.
A&M-Commerce moves to 13-1 overall with the sweep, while Missouri Southern falls to 4-9 overall.
A&M-Commerce resumes play on Friday, starting a three-game Lone Star Conference series at Cameron.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
– Vanessa Muro went 2-for-3 with a double for the home Lions, driving in three runs. Her double was the Lions’ only extra-base hit of the game.
– Baylea Higgs, Mariah Jameyson, Monica Cherry, Jodie Hill, and Kimber Neal each had singles for A&M-Commerce.
– Pitcher Emily Otto moved to 6-0 on the season with the win in the circle, allowing one earned run on six hits in five innings, striking out five and walking one.
– Katie Dean allowed no runs in two innings of relief, allowing one single.
HOW IT HAPPENED
A&M-Commerce took advantage of wild pitching in the first inning, as MSSU starter Natalie Hamm lasted only three batters, walking them all. Jameyson drove in the first run of the day with a jam shot infield RBI single. The inning ended on a lineout turned into a double play. The hosts led 1-0 after the first inning.
Missouri Southern tied the game up in the top of the second after Lexi Ferrari led off with a triple. Elizabeth Windsor hit a single up the middle to bring Ferrari home and knot the score up at 1-1.
A&M-Commerce took the lead back in the bottom of the second after loading the bases with three consecutive bunt singles. Nunez brought home a run with a sacrifice fly, and Higgs drove home a runner with a softly hit single up the middle to make it 3-1. A Hebler sacrifice fly brought home the fourth run of the day, and Muro pushed the lead to 6-1 with a two-run double to right-center.
The home side added another run in the fifth inning. Jameyson walked to lead off the inning and pinch runner Precious Thompson stole second. Muro singled to centerfield to bring home the seventh run.
Dean came into the game to pitch the final two innings and quickly worked through the MSSU lineup, allowing no runs on one hit to close out the sweep.
SOFTBALL
No. 25 Lions use firepower and comeback to take doubleheader from Missouri Southern.
COMMERCE – The No. 25 Texas A&M University-Commerce softball team used offensive fireworks in the day’s first game, then scored seven unanswered runs in the nightcap to pick up a pair of win over Missouri Southern State on Sunday afternoon.
A&M-Commerce moves to 12-1 on the season, while Missouri Southern is now 4-8. The two teams will meet for the third game of the series at Noon Monday.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE (Game One)
– Mariah Jamey set the A&M-Commerce single-game records for home runs (3) and RBIs (8) and tied the Lone Star Conference record for home runs in the game, including the walk-off grand slam. She went 3-for-4 in the game, becoming the Lions’ all-time home run leader with her walk-off blast.
– Jodie Hill went 2-for-3. Kinsie Hebler and Ciera Nunez also each had hits.
– Emily Otto pitched six innings, allowing three runs on six hits, walking one and striking out six.
– Nunez stole two bases, and Hill took one. Precious Thompson stole a base as a pinch runner.
HOW IT HAPPENED (Game One)
A&M-Commerce scratched across the first run of the day in the first inning without putting the ball in play. Three Lions reached on walks, and Vanessa Avina was hit by a pitch to bring home the run for a 1-0 lead.
Jameyson pushed the lead to 2-0 in the bottom of the third inning, blasting a solo home run to the berm in the dead center field with one out.
Missouri Southern scored three runs in the top of the fourth to take the lead from the hosts. A pair of RBI singles and a bases-loaded walk gave the visitors a 3-2 lead in the middle of the fourth.
Jameyson put A&M-Commerce back in front in the bottom of the fifth. After Nunez and Hebler beat out infield singles, the senior catcher blasted a three-run homer to left-center, putting the home side back in front by a 5-3 count.
In the sixth, Bri Sims and Hill beat out infield singles, and Neal walked to load the bases with none out. Vanessa Muro smoked a two-run single to put the Lions up 7-3. After another walk to load the bases, Jameyson demolished a no-doubt walk-off grand slam to left field to end the game with an 11-3 advantage
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE (Game Two)
– Higgs went 3-for-3 in the contest with a walk, reaching base in all four of her plate appearances and scoring two runs.
– Muro went 2-for-4 with four RBIs and a run scored.
– Nunez went 2-for-3 in the leadoff spot with two runs scored.
– Katie Dean allowed no runs in 1.2 innings of relief on two hits, moving to 4-1 on the season. Otto earned her third save of the year with a perfect seventh inning.
HOW IT HAPPENED (Game Two)
Missouri Southern got on the board first in the third inning. After the first three batters reached base, a single, sacrifice fly, and a sacrifice bunt gave the guests a 3-0 lead.
A&M-Commerce tied the game up in the bottom of the third. Nunez walked and stole second, followed by a Higgs walk. Jameyson singled to left to bring home a run, and Muro drilled a double to the left-center gap, tying the game at 3-3 after three complete innings.
MSSU took advantage of a pair of doubles in the fifth inning to put up four runs. The visitors brought home runs on both extra bases hits, then bases-loaded single and walk pushed the MSSU lead to 7-3.
A&M-Commerce was able to cut into the lead immediately. A leadoff infield single by Higgs and a pair of walks loaded the bases. Avina roped a two-run single to left to plate two runs, but the Lions left the bases full and trailed 7-5 after five completed innings.
Infield singles by Nunez and Higgs, followed by an intentional walk to Jameyson kickstarted the sixth inning rally with the bases loaded. Muro tied the game with a two-run single, and the plates reloaded with a walk drawn by Avina. Cherry laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to bring home the go-ahead run, and Hill’s two-run double down the left field line gave the hosts two insurance runs with a 10-7 lead.
Otto entered the game in the seventh inning and struck out three straight batters to earn the save.
TRACK AND FIELD
Five Indoor Track & Field Athletes named to LSC All-Academic Teams.
RICHARDSON– Five Texas A&M University-Commerce track and field athletes have been named to the Lone Star Conference Indoor Track & Field All-Academic teams, as announced by the conference office on Friday. Sarah Hogan and Maddie Shubert made the women’s All-Academic team, and Dylan Henderson, Trevor Montgomery, and Florian Obst tagged to the men’s All-Academic team.
Hogan– a Psychology major from Gatesville– has received numerous academic accolades during her time at A&M-Commerce. She made the President’s List and the Best in the Class list with a 4.0 GPA during the 2016 and 2017 spring semesters. She has also been named to the Dean’s list in three different semesters and the Athletics Director’s list twice. She has also been named to the LSC Commissioner’s Honor Roll all five of her semesters at A&M-Commerce. Hogan went to Cambodia with the Health and Human Performance Department during Summer 2017 and has logged more than 13 hours of community service during the Fall 2016 and Fall 2017 semesters.
Shubert– a double major in Criminal Justice and Sociology from Rowlett– was named to the 2017 LSC Cross Country All-Academic team last semester. She twice received both the President’s List and the Best in the Class list with a 4.0 GPA during the Fall 2016 and Spring 2017 semesters. Shubert has also made the Lion Honor Roll and the LSC Commissioner’s Honor Roll. She is a representative of the cross country team on the Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) and is currently a part of the SAAC Marketing and Engagement Committee. She has logged more than 35 hours of community service work. Also, Shubert has posted top 25 times in the LSC in the 3K, 5K, and mile run during the current indoor season.
Henderson– a Kinesiology & Sports Studies major from Duncanville– has received numerous academic honors during his time at A&M-Commerce. He has made the Best in the Class list, the Athletics Director’s list, the Dean’s List and the LSC Commissioner’s Honor Roll. He is also a member of the Leadership Team for A&M-Commerce’s Responsible Lions campaign– a student-led group focusing on student-athlete well-being. Henderson also attended the NCAA APPLE Conference in 2017.
Montgomery– a Kinesiology & Sports Studies major from Whitney– was also named to the All-Academic team during the 2017 Outdoor season. He has twice on the President’s list, and the Best in the Class list with a 4.0 GPA and also has been named three times to both the Athletics Director’s and the Dean’s list. He has also made the LSC Commissioner’s record in all five of his semesters at A&M-Commerce. Montgomery has even logged more than 30 hours of community service.
Obst– a Master’s in Business Administration major from Emmering, Germany– was named the 2017 USTFCCCA Male Outdoor Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year last season. It is his first year of eligibility for the LSC All-Academic team. He has been named to the Best in the Class list with a 4.0 GPA during Spring 2017 semester and has also made the Athletics Director’s record and the LSC Commissioner’s Honor Roll. Obst has even logged more than 20 hours of community service. Also, Obst was the 2017 Outdoor Decathlon National Champion and is the defending LSC champion in both the outdoor decathlon and the indoor heptathlon. He set the LSC record and had the 11th best heptathlon score in NCAA Division II history earlier this season with a total score of 5,494, an automatic qualifying mark.
The Lion track and field teams head to Lubbock this weekend to participate in the LSC Indoor Track & Field Championships. The meet will be on Saturday and Sunday at the Sports Performance Center.
2018 LSC INDOOR TRACK & FIELD ALL-ACADEMIC AWARDS
MEN’S ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
| Player | School | Yr. | Major | Hometown |
| Chevy Robertson | Angelo State | So. | Physics | Brownwood, Texas |
| Owen Hind | West Texas A&M | Sr. | MBA | London, England |
| Ezra Bagwell | Eastern New Mexico | Jr. | Electric Engineering Technology | Clayton, New Mexico |
| Florian Obst | A&M-COMMERCE | Sr. | Masters of Business Admin. | Emmering, Germany |
| Trevor Montgomery | A&M-COMMERCE | Jr. | Kinesiology & Sports Studies | Whitney, Texas |
| Dylan Henderson | A&M-COMMERCE | So. | Kinesiology & Sports Studies | Duncanville, Texas |
| Jacob Nava | Lubbock Christian | So. | Finance | Abilene, Texas |
| Jacob Reid | Angelo State | Jr. | Exercise Science | Wall, Texas |
| Jarred Elizondo | Tarleton State | So. | Engineering | Bandera, Texas |
| Harry Maslen | Angelo State | Jr. | Chemistry | Ilkley, West Yorkshire |
| Lorenzo Juarez | Eastern New Mexico | Jr. | Biology | Lovington, New Mexico |
LSC Men’s Indoor Track & Field Academic Athlete of the Year: Chevy Robertson, Angelo State
WOMEN’S ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
| Player | School | Yr. | Major | Hometown |
| Kami Norton | Angelo State | Sr. | Kinesiology | Albany, Texas |
| Coley Norcross | Eastern New Mexico | Sr. | Elementary/Special Education | Albuquerque, New Mexico |
| Journee Cotton | Lubbock Christian | So. | English/Humanities | Alamogordo, New Mexico |
| Kelby Pope | Angelo State | Jr. | Nursing | Kerrville, Texas |
| Gretzel Jimenez | Tarleton State | So. | Physical Therapy | China Spring, Texas |
| Mercy Yermo | Midwestern State | Sol | Exercise Physiology | Bandera, Texas |
| Nele Heinrich | West Texas A&M | So. | Business | Guben, Germany |
| Sarah Hogan | A&M-COMMERCE | Jr. | Psychology | Gatesville, Texas |
| Kaitlin Bell | Lubbock Christian | So. | Humanities | Gustine, Texas |
| Danee Bustos | Eastern New Mexico | Jr. | Communicative Disorders | Belen, New Mexico |
| Maddie Shubert | A&M-COMMERCE | So. | Criminal Justice and Sociology | Rowlett, Texas |
LSC Women’s Indoor Track & Field Academic Athlete of the Year: Kami Norton, Angelo State
Lion men earn fourth straight LSC Indoor Championship, Women place third with school points record. – FINAL RESULTS
LUBBOCK – The Texas A&M University-Commerce men’s track and field won its fourth consecutive Lone Star Conference Indoor Track and Field Championship, while the Lion women finished in third and set a school points record at Texas Tech’s Indoor Performance Center on Sunday.
The league title for the Lion men is the 22nd all-time track and field Lone Star Conference Championship for A&M-Commerce. Selections for the 2018 NCAA Division, II Indoor Track and Field Championships, will be announced Tuesday evening.
MEN’S TEAM STANDINGS
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WOMEN’S TEAM STANDINGS
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FLYING IN THE FOUR HUNDRED
With five of the eight finalists in the men’s 400 meters, the Lions knew they would pick up plenty of points, and expectations were met, as two runners went under 47 seconds.
Rashard Clark re-set his own Lone Star Conference record with a time of 46.43 seconds, and teammate Jude Christine came in second place at 46.98 seconds. The duo both notched automatic qualifying marks with the finish, earning the second- and third-fastest times in the nation this season.
The Lions finished 1-2-4-6-7 in the 400 meters for 28 team points.
RELAY DOMINANCE
Both the Lion men and women earned the victory in the 4×400 meter relay for the second straight season.
The women’s team of Ro’Nisha Simpson, Joy Spann, Minna Sveard, and Kamryn McKee set a school record by nearly five seconds at 3:45.45. The time is the 12th-fastest in the nation this season.
The men’s team of Jude Christine, Dedrian Windham, D’Lance Sharp, and Rashard Clark set an LSC Championship record with a time of 3:11.32, which is the second-fastest time in the nation this season, while also that foursome’s second-fastest time of the season.
EXTENDING A NATIONAL BEST
DeVontae Steele set an LSC Championship record in the men’s triple jump on four consecutive attempts, ending with a gold medal at 16.03 meters (52-7.25). He will carry the nation’s longest mark into the national championships.
McKEE REWRITES THE BOOKS
Kamryn McKee earned three school records on a fantastic day. In addition to her gold medal in the 4×400 meter relay, McKee was the runner-up and broke the school record in both the 200-meter dash (24.52 seconds) and the 400-meter dash (55.20 seconds).
LSC CHAMPIONSHIP RECORDS FALL
Florian Obst set an LSC Championship record with his win in the men’s heptathlon, scoring 5,468 points for the gold medal.
Minna Svaerd set a new LSC Championship record in the women’s pole vault, clearing the bar at 3.76 meters (12-4).
TOP TWO HUNDRED TIME
Jude Christine led four Lions in the men’s 200 meter dash final, setting the school record at 21.17 seconds. It is the second-fastest LSC time ever, and the third-best time in the nation this season.
Christine led a 2-5-6-8 finish in the event as the Lions earned 16 points in the event.
ALL MEDALISTS
GOLD
Joseph Brown – Men’s Weight Throw – 18.91m
Hudson Hall – Men’s Pole Vault – 5.11m
Hailey Wanoreck – Women’s Weight Throw – 17.42m
Florian Obst – Men’s Heptathlon – 5,468 points
DeVontae Steele.- Men’s Triple Jump – 16.03m
Minna Svaerd – Women’s Pole Vault – 3.76m
Rashard Clark – Men’s 400m – 46.43
Ro’Nisha Simpson, Joy Spann, Minna Sveard, Kamryn McKee – Women’s 4x400m Relay – 3:45.45
Jude Christine, Dedrian Windham, D’Lance Sharp, Rashard Clark – Men’s 4x400m Relay – 3:11.32
SILVER
Anitial’a Robins – Women’s Weight Throw – 17.21m
Laura Alicke – Women’s 5,000m – 18:40.08
Joseph Brown – Men’s Shot Put – 16.62m
Kamryn McKee – Women’s 400m – 55.20
Jude Christine – Men’s 400m – 46.98
Kamryn McKee – Women’s 200m – 24.52
BRONZE
Julia Seigerroth – Women’s Pentathlon – 3,392 points
Chase Graham – Men’s Weight Throw – 17.50m
Florian Obst – Men’s Pole Vault – 4.81m
Brandi Stalder – Women’s 5,000m – 18:40.51
Maiya Collins, Jessica Clay, Shanecia Baker, Jasmine Amo – Women’s Distance Medley Relay – 13:09.92
Dorian Andrews – Men’s 60m Hurdles – 8.01 seconds
Minna Svaerd – Women’s 400m – 55.65
Stadrian Taylor – Men’s 60m – 6.87
Laura Alicke – Women’s 3,000m – 10:40.82
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Lions blast No. 12 UT Permian Basin 85-56 on Senior Day.
COMMERCE– The Texas A&M University-Commerce men’s basketball team defeated No. 12 UT Permian Basin 85-56 on Saturday. The Lions jumped into a big lead right out of the gate and took complete control of the game in the second half.
The win brings the Lions to 20-7 on the season and 12-6 in the Lone Star Conference. The Falcons fall to 22-5 and 14-4 in conference play. The Lions finish in a tie for third place in the conference standings but will be the fourth seed in the Lone Star Conference Championship after the tiebreaking system fell to a coin toss.
The Lions will return to action on Friday in the quarterfinal round of the LSC Championship. The Lions are the fourth seed and will face Angelo State at 6 p.m. The tournament will be at Dr. Pepper Arena in Frisco. Round two of the competition will be on Saturday with the championship game played on Sunday.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
– Willie Rooks led the Lions with 24 points, drilling five threes. He also had four assists and four rebounds.
– Reggie Reid had 21 points and five assists. He scored 20 points in the second half.
– Trey Conrod scored all 10 of his points in the first half and added two blocks and two steals.
– Aaron Horne had nine points while Daquane Willford added six points and five assists.
– A&M-Commerce shot 53 percent from the field and assisted on more than half of their field goals.
– The Lions scored 29 points off of 18 UTPB turnovers.
– A&M-Commerce led by as many as 32 points and never trailed in the game.
– The game played in front of a crowd of 1,868 spectators.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Lions were on fire to start the game, scoring the first 11 points of the game. Four different Lions were on the board early, with the run capped by a three from Conrod. The Falcons began to score, netting the next two baskets.
The Lions pulled their lead back to double digits with 12 and a half minutes left in half. Rooks hit a three, and a layup from Conrod gave the Lions a 12-point lead. The Falcons scored the next five points and cut the Lion lead to just eight points midway through the half.
Armstrong hit a three as the Lions continued to shoot well from the field. A layup and free throws from Rooks added to the Lion lead and a three from Rooks with four minutes to play. That gave the Lions their largest lead of the half, a 19-point advantage.
The Falcons finished the half on a 7-0 run, holding the Lions scoreless for the final three minutes. The Lions took a 38-27 lead into halftime.
Rooks led the team with 12 points at halftime. Conrod added 10 points on 4-of-4 shooting. The Lions shot 50 percent in the first half and held the Falcons to just 32 percent shooting.
The Falcons cut the Lion lead to nine points early in the second half before two triples from the Lions brought their lead back up to double figures, where it remained the rest of the contest. Rooks hit all three of his triples in the second half while Reid also was on fire, scoring 20 points in the second half.
With 7:43 left in half, the Lions started a 14-0 run over a three-minute span to push their lead to 30 points with four minutes to play. The Lions pushed their lead to as many as 32 in the final minute to run away with the victory in the last home game of the season.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Gay moves into third all-time in scoring as Lions lose 64-61 heartbreaker to UTPB.
COMMERCE– The Texas A&M University-Commerce women’s basketball team fell 64-61 to UT Permian Basin on Saturday. The Lions had a chance to tie the game at the buzzer but could not force an overtime period.
The loss brings the Lions to 17-11 on the season and 13-7 in the Lone Star Conference. The Falcons improve to 8-20 and 6-14 in conference play. The game was the final game of the regular season for both teams.
The Lions will now prepare for the Lone Star Conference Championship. The Lions are the third seed in the conference tournament and will face the sixth-seeded Cameron Aggies in the quarterfinal round of the tournament on Thursday, March 1, at Noon. The semifinal round will be on March 3 with the championship game held on March 4. The competition will be at Dr. Pepper Arena in Frisco.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
– Artaejah Gay led the Lions with 18 points and moved into third place on the all-time scoring list. She also had a double-double with ten rebounds.
– Brianna Wise had 17 points and also had six rebounds and six assists.
– Melanie Ransom had eight points and six rebounds. Princess Davis added six points and five assists.
– The Lions shot 44 percent from the field and held the Falcons to 34 percent shooting.
– UTPB capitalized on 24 Lion turnovers, scoring 19 points.
– There were three ties and seven lead changes in the game.
HOW IT HAPPENED
After an opening bucket from Gay, the Falcons hit two threes in a row to take a 6-2 lead. Gay again scored a bucket inside as UTPB led 6-4 after three minutes. Courtney Fields hit a three at the midway mark to give the Lions a 9-7 lead halfway through the first quarter. UTPB then hit two threes in a row to retake a four-point lead, and another bucket gave UTPB a 15-9 lead with 1:32 left. The Lions finished the first quarter without scoring for nearly five minutes and trailed 16-9.
Gay scored a quick bucket to open the second quarter, opening up a 9-0 run as Ransom hit an and-one, giving the Lions back the lead. UTPB answered back with a 6-0 run of their own to take a 22-17 lead with seven minutes left in half. Midway through the second quarter, UTPB held a four-point lead.
The Lions finished the quarter strong. Wise hit consecutive threes to pull the game even. UTPB went without points for the final four minutes, and the Lions kept piling on. Gay hit a basket with 30 seconds left, and then after a missed UTPB shot, Gay hit a buzzer-beating three to send the Lions into halftime with a 36-30 lead.
The Lions shot 68 percent in the first half, making 13 of their 19 shots. Gay led the team with 11 points at halftime. Wise added nine points and four assists. The Lions assisted on 11 of their 13 baskets. UTPB forced 14 Lion turnovers and converted them into 12 points. However, the Falcons shot just 33 percent in the first half.
The teams traded baskets back and forth to begin the second half. Gay hit a shot with 7:30 left in the third quarter to move into third place in school history in points scored. Midway through the quarter, the Lions held a six-point lead. A three-pointer from Jasmyn Eckerman gave the Lions a seven-point lead with three minutes remaining before UTPB scored the final four points of the quarter. The Lions held a 47-44 lead headed into the last quarter.
Gay hit a layup early in the fourth quarter before UTPB scored two baskets in a row to cut the Lion lead to just one point. The teams battled for several minutes as the Lion lead stayed at one possession. The Lions then scored two buckets and held an eight-point lead with just under two minutes to play.
The Falcons then rallied, hitting three triples in a row to take a one-point lead with 19 seconds to go. After a failed Lion possession, the team was forced to foul. UTPB made both free throws to lead by three with seven seconds left. A final shot was off the mark for the Lions.