Lions top ACU, keep playoff hopes alive

If you want drama, you got it.

The A&M-Commerce Lions held off Abilene Christian in the final seconds Wednesday, topping the Wildcats 75-72, and keeping their postseason hopes alive at Moody Coliseum in Abilene.

Devondrick Walker and Preston Whitley each scored 17 points for the Lions (9-16 overall, 4-13 LSC) and Desmond King added 16 points and a team-high six rebounds. Fellow senior Brad Hambrick tossed in 12 points to help set up a high stakes game in the regular season finale.

The Lions will host Angelo State, needing a win and a Tarleton State win over ACU to secure the eighth and final berth in the LSC Championship in Allen at the end of the month. Anything other than that, and the Lions will be eliminated from playoff contention.

Abilene Christian (12-15 overall, 4-13 LSC) was in control of the game for almost the entire first half, leading from the jump until the final buzzer of the opening stanza, when the Lions used a 7-0 run to take a 33-31 lead on a last-second layup.

A&M-Commerce led by six early in the second half, but watched the lead slip away after the Wildcats put together an 11-0 run to take a 47-41 lead with 14 minutes to play.

The Lions would answer late in the game with a 12-0 run that gave them a 71-67 lead with less than two minutes to play. Clutch free throws and timely defense allowed the Lions to close the book on ACU down the stretch.

Saturday's game against Angelo State will not only be the final home game of the season, but final appearance at home for seniors Hambrick, King and LaBree Sledge. All three will be honored prior to the contest.

• Abilene Christian 93, A&M-Commerce 55 (women)

Despite 13 points and nine rebounds from Danielle Dixon, the A&M-Commerce women continued to add to their losing streak, falling to Abilene Christian on Wednesday, 93-55.

The Lions (1-24 overall, 0-19 LSC) trailed by 26 at the break and couldn't find a way to stop the blistering shooting by the Wildcats, who improved to 12-13 overall, and 7-12 in conference play.

Dixon fell one rebound short of her second double-double of the season, and Breanna Harris scored nine points to go with four rebounds.

Mack Langford led all scorers with 23 points and Renata Marquez tossed in 21 for the Wildcats. The Lions' losing streak has now reached 21 straight games. A&M-Commerce will have one final chance to end the streak Saturday when the Lions host Angelo State at 6 p.m.