At this time last season, the Lions couldn’t have imagined what was yet to come in the Lone Star Conference North division. Seven of their next 12 North division games came down to six points or less, finishing league play in fourth at 6-6.
This time around they know what to expect.
On Saturday, Jan. 20 the Lions opened division play with a 63-59 win over Northeastern State. A&M-Commerce rallied from a 39-32 deficit with an 11-0 run to seal the win.
“To start off North division play 1-0 with a win on the road at Northeastern State-that’s a huge win for us,” said Sam Walker, Texas A&M University-Commerce head basketball coach. “The majority of the home teams win in this conference and to go on the road and steal one definitely gives you a leg up one game into it.”
The win is the third in a row in Tahlequah and second in a row on the season for the Lions, who improve to 8-8 overall and 1-0 in the LSC North. Northeastern State falls to 5-10 overall and 0-1 in the LSC North.
In the second half, trailing 39-32, Bobby Joshua scored six-straight points and a Kevin Widemond three-pointer gave A&M-Commerce a 40-39 lead for the Lions first since the 14:27 mark in the first half. On the next Lion possession, Champ Sylvester hit a three pointer and Brickens made a free throw to stretch the slim lead to four, 43-39.
NSU fought back with three-pointers from Ben Rovenstine and Tyree Hardge, who put the Redmen back in front. Joshua answered the call with four straight points, including a steal and lay-up, putting the Lions in front 47-45. The lay-up sparked a 9-0 run for A&M-Commerce and the Lions never looked back.
Senior Brad Brickens led the scoring attack with a team-high 14, including an 8-for-10 effort from the charity stripe. A&M-Commerce had solid second half efforts from Joshua who scored 11 of his 13 points in the second half and senior Lamar Searight, who finished with 11–all in the second half.
Walker is pleased with the progress his squad is making is hopeful it will carry over into the rest of league play.
“It is a 12-game season we’re in and thankfully we’re 1-0,” said Walker. “We haven’t had everyone in the floor and practicing in game situations enough to be able to get the type of unity that it takes to be successful in this league. In the last two games we have made huge strides in how we are playing together. You can see how we are starting to come together-more of a ‘we’ and less of a ‘me.'” But he knows it will still be a dogfight in a division full of parity.
“It wouldn’t surprise me if we lost every game from here on out and it wouldn’t surprise me if we won every game from here on out,” said Walker. “Just looking at the scores and the balance that there is no one in the cellar and no one that has a clear cut advantage with the exception of Southeastern.”
Southeastern Oklahoma is the favorite in the division returning five starters from an 18-10 squad that captured the North division title a season ago.
“After [Southeastern] it is a battle. There are going to be some good teams that don’t make the tournament,” said Walker. “From that standpoint, whoever plays the hardest and plays collectively together the best is going to the team.”