A 19-2 run to start the second half led host Texas A&M University-Commerce to a 74-68 win over Central Oklahoma on Saturday afternoon.
Three Lions (16-6, 5-2 LSC North) scored in double figures, including a game-high 25 from junior Britney Jordan. She was joined in double digits by junior Tarika Campbell, who scored a career-high 17 and senior Katedria Mosley added her third double-double of the season with 18 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. It was fitting that all three along with senior Dominee Evans were also part of the 2006-07 team that saw its championship banners unveiled during halftime of the men’s game.
Central Oklahoma – who had won nine of its last 11 including an 84-83 decision earlier in the season – falls to 16-6 and 4-3 in the Lone Star Conference North Division. The Bronchos’ tandem of Cassidy Pillow and Lizzie Brenner scored 20 and 19 points, respectively.
The contest pitted the top two teams in the Lone Star Conference North Division pre-season poll. A&M-Commerce was picked to finish first and Central Oklahoma was picked to finish second.
Trailing by five at the intermission and after shooting 36.1 percent in the first 20 minutes, A&M-Commerce showed in the second half why it is the defending LSC North Division champion. In the second half, the Lions held UCO to a dismal 19.5 percent shooting – 8 for 41 – from the field.
In addition, the A&M-Commerce offense made five-of-nine 3-pointers and was 10-of-14 from the free throw line to go along with 43.3 percent shooting from the field.
?With the increased defensive intensity, A&M-Commerce relied on an inside-outside game involving Jordan, Mosley and Campbell. Both Jordan and Mosley each contributed five points each to the 19-2 run to begin the second stanza.
After the Lions took the lead to as much as 13, Brenner sparked the visitors by herself with a 7-2 run to cut the lead to eight, 58-50, with 8:35 left in the game.
Down the stretch, Central Oklahoma was able to cut the deficit to five on three more occasions, but was unable to get any closer.
With the win by Southeastern Oklahoma State on Saturday night over Northeastern State, A&M-Commerce is now in first place in the Lone Star Conference as they head to Tahlequah on Wednesday.
Lions roll past Aggies
A&M-Commerce went on a 7-0 run midway through the first and 10-1 run to end the opening half en route to an 89-75 victory over host Cameron on Wednesday night in Aggie Gym.
Three Lions scored in double digits as junior Britney Jordan, who was four-for-eight from beyond the 3-point line and 13-for-15 from the free-throw line, scored a game-high 33 points.
Senior Melissa Bratton scored 22 to set a school record with a perfect 9-for-9 effort from the field. Katedria Mosley added 13. Mosley also shared in game-high honors with eight rebounds and junior Tarika Campbell matched a career-high with five assists to go along with nine points.
A&M-Commerce made 24 of 33 free throws for its fourth-consecutive 20-plus made free throw effort. Defensively, the Lions held Cameron to 44.4 percent shooting and into 20 turnovers.
Cameron (3-18, 0-6 LSC North) had four players in double figures. Jasmine Parr and Sarah Moore each added 16, Tiffany Williams added 14 and Megan Atkins chipped in 12 off the bench. Aggies guard Merrisa Martinuzzi dished out a game-high 11 assists in the defeat.
After scoring the first four points to extend the margin to as much as 20 in the second half, the Aggies managed to cut the Lions lead into single digits on a pair of occasions.
Each spurt by Cameron was answered by A&M-Commerce, including a 7-0 run over the next 49 seconds that put the lead at double digits for the remainder of the contest.
The Lions closed out the contest, scoring 11 of its last 15 points from the free-throw line.
In the first half, A&M-Commerce blistered the nets, shooting a season-best 65.2 percent from the field for a 43-27 advantage. Jordan and Bratton nearly outscored the host Aggies in the first half, scoring 25 of the Lions’ 43 points.
Jordan scored 14 points in the first half – her second highest total of the season – and Bratton – who was a perfect five-for-five from the field – added 11 for the Lions.
The Lions defense held Cameron to 34.5 percent shooting, 15 turnovers and came up with 10 steals.