In a season filled with firsts, the Texas A&M University-Commerce Lions added a Lone Star Conference Tournament Championship to that list, as they defeated West Texas A&M 81-71 on Saturday, March 3.
“It’s a tremendous emotional feeling to do something that has never been done before,” said Lion head coach Denny Downing.
A quick start to the game for the Lions (25-8) saw them open a nine-point lead 13-4 within the first six minutes of action.
West Texas countered to pull within three, but the Lions went on little runs throughout the half before eventually taking a double-digit halftime lead at 43-32.
Guard Britney Jordan and forward Dominee Evans led the women in the half combining to score 27 points between the two of them.
Jordan tallied 14, while Evans scored 13 and grabbed six rebounds on 4-5 shooting from the field.
As a team, the offense shot 64 percent from the field while the defense was able to force six West Texas turnovers.
Coming off the bench, Katedria Mosley made an immediate impact on the defensive side of the ball with three steals, while dropping in seven points on the offensive end.
To start the second half, the Lions extended the lead to 15, but the Buffaloes would not go down without a fight.
Slowly the lead for the Lions would waiver around double-digits before the Buffaloes were able to pull the game within five, and eventually being down to only one.
At the 4:07 mark, Buffalo guard Emily Brister nailed two free throws to put West Texas down one. Jordan countered with a shot of her own before a lay-up on the next Buffalo possession kept West Texas only a shot from taking the lead.
With the score 66-65, the ability to shoot came into play as Jordan hit a three-pointer to extend the lead. Followed by a foul on the next possession with missed free throws, and then two free throws by West Texas to keep the game within two, Lion guard Dawn Montgomery hit the biggest three-pointer of the game for her only points in the championship match-up to extend the lead to five.
The Buffaloes scored a lay-up on their next possession before the Lions made a final run for their first ever LSC championship that West Texas was unable to stop.
Jordan was named the tournament Most Outstanding Player while leading the Lions with 29 points on the night.
Evans had a career night dropping in 22 points and pulling down nine rebounds. Two more Lions joined in on the double figure scoring as guard Kanani Marshal had 11 and forward Katedria Mosley with 10.
“(Dominee) was tremendous,” said Downing. “Huge contribution.”
The Lions never trailed in the action and only dominated in one major team statistical category with points off of turnovers at 28-19.
With the hot first half, the Lions only were able to shoot 35 percent in the second finishing with a 49.1 percentage from the floor.
Jordan and Evans were honored after the game by being placed on the all-tournament team. Jordan received the Most Outstanding Player trophy as well as the entire team with a championship trophy.
The team is currently on a program best eight game winning streak that they will hope to continue throughout their first NCAA Division II tournament that takes place in St. Joseph, Mo. at Missouri Western University.
On selection Sunday, the Lions were placed as a number four seed in the South Central region and will face the five seed Emporia State at 6 p.m. on Friday evening.
“My biggest concern is we have got to stay loose and not to be in any kind of daze,” said Downing. “We have to be who we are and not be overwhelmed.”
LSC foes West Texas A&M and Angelo State both made the dance as well, with the Buffaloes being a number two seed and Angelo being a number six.
Second round KO to Angelo State
With a chance to advance to the Lone Star Conference championship game for the first time in the programs history, the Texas A&M University-Commerce Lions slipped past the Angelo State Rambelles last Friday night 65-59.
“These kids came here to play for a championship,” said Lion head coach Denny Downing. “Now we have put ourselves in that position.”
The Lions were looking for a rematch as Angelo State defeated the women by one point in an earlier match-up in November.
A 7-0 start to the game gave the Lions an early lead and throughout the half the lead was built to as large as 12.
The belles would not quit, as they would counter with a 12-2 run with just over five minutes remaining in the half to keep the game in range.
At the halftime break, the Lions had a four-point lead, 28-24.
The defense sides for both teams were strong throughout the first half, as both teams shot below 40 percent from the field.
The usual high scoring Lions were held to just 28 points on 34.6 percent shooting.
“Some nights it just doesn’t fall for you,” said Downing. “I told them we were going to shoot better in the second.”
The defense for the Lions forced seven turnovers, which turned into 11 points for the women.
After a 43-point output in the opening round of the tournament, Lions guard Britney Jordan led the Lions with 12 points first half.
She had two rebounds and two assists to go along.
Forward Tradawn Short had six points in the half, with four coming from the free throw line, and two rebounds to follow Jordan.
Player of the Year Kanani Marshal was being tightly contained by the Angelo State defense and was only able to put up two points, but was able to dish out two assists and have three steals on defense.
To open the second half, the Lions went on an 11-3 run that started with a steal from guard Dawn Montgomery.
The Rambelles were not finished as they would go on a run themselves, before overtaking the lead for the first time in the game at the 8:57 mark on jumper by guard Lindsey Leatherman to take the one point 49-48 lead.
The lead was only extended to three points, as the Lions were able to claim the lead again on a jumper by forward Katedria Mosley.
A 17-8 run pushed the Lions to the victory that extended their winning streak to seven games.
Jordan led the Lions again as she dropped in 23 points, six assists and five rebounds.
Coming off the bench, Mosley had a big game with 13 points and three assists.
“She was huge tonight, focused in the second half and worked as hard as she has all year,” said Downing.
Marshal changed shoes at the halftime break when she only had two points.
After the change, she hit three three-pointers with two of them at a much-needed time for the Lions.
“I was getting shin splints,” said Marshal of the first half shoes. “Had to get out of them as soon as possible.”
The Lion defense forced 11 turnovers, but was only able to score 18 points off the Angelo mishaps.
The women also controlled the paint, outscoring the Rambelles 26-20.
Their record improved to an overall mark of 24-8 on the season, extending the school record.