Scooby Johnson and Kevin Widemond combined for 41 points to help the Texas A&M University-Commerce Lions earn their first three-game win streak of the season with a 61-43 victory over the Southeastern Oklahoma State Savage Storm on Saturday at the A&M-Commerce Field House.
The 43 points allowed by A&M-C is the lowest since a 59-42 win over Southeastern Oklahoma on March 1, 2005 in the first round of the Lone Star Conference tournament.
“We played great defense,” said Lions coach Sam Walker. “It’s as good of defense as we’ve played all season.?The Lions jump to 8-11 overall and 3-1 in Lone Star Conference North Division play. Southeastern has now lost nine in a row and are 3-15 overall and 0-3 in north play.?Johnson opened the game scoring the Lions first seven points before ending the half with 19 points on 8-of-8 shooting.
He finished with a game-high 23 points and nine rebounds and didn’t miss his first shot until the 12:00 mark in the second.
Widemond nailed four 3-pointers on his way to 18 points.?”One thing you can always count on with those two is they’re always going to play hard,” said Lions assistant coach Jason Burton. “It’s almost expected with those guys.”?The efforts of Johnson and Widemond helped the Lions take a 36-25 lead into the half for the 18th time this season.?Rashad Brown helped the Lions extend the lead in the second scoring seven of his eight points in the period. He also snagged nine boards and helped the Lions close on a 17-8 run to seal the win.?A&M-C shot 54.5 percent for the game and held Southeastern to only 36.5 percent, including only 29.6 in the second.?Ken Reed topped the Savage Storm with 12 points.
Teammate Kyric Rambo added 11 points.
Lions top RiverHawks
Trailing at the half for the first time this season, the Texas A&M University-Commerce Lions made a run in the second to edge the Northeastern State RiverHawks, 67-62, at the A&M-C Field House on Wednesday night.
“It was a gutsy effort,” said Lions coach Sam Walker.?A&M-C has now won two in a row to lift its record to 7-11 and 2-1 in Lone Star Conference North Division play. Northeastern State falls to 8-9 and 1-2.
Steve Neal dropped in a layup at the 24-second mark in the second for the RiverHawks, but Derrick Darkis netted two free throws to give the Lions a four-point lead at 66-62.
Darkis knocked the ball away on the next RiverHawk possession and Lions’ forward Scooby Johnson picked it up, was fouled and knocked down a free throw for the final tally.
The Lions capped the win with a 7-2 run to end the game.
Scooby Johnson scored only six points in the first period, but totaled 14 in the second to finish with a team-high 20 points.?”He’s done that quite a bit,” said Walker. “As the game goes on he begins to wear people out.”
For his efforts against Southeastern Oklahoma and Northeastern Oklahoma, Johnson claimed LSC North Division Player of the Week honors.?RiverHawks’ Aaron Arango wore the Lions out in the second, splashing in seven 3-pointers and scoring 15 of his 26 points in the half.?Northeastern State finished 11-of-20 from beyond the arc.?Steve Neal was the only other RiverHawk in double figures scoring 14.?A&M-C played solid defense all night, forcing seven steals, three blocks and 16 turnovers, which the Lions turned in to 19 points.?”Exceptional defense,” said Walker.
Brown recorded a double-double for the Lions, collecting 13 points and 10 rebounds. He also picked up three steals.?Darkis joined in double digits with 14 points.