ALLENDALE, Mich. – The fourth-seeded Texas A&M University-Commerce football team saw its best season in 25 years come to an end at the hands of top-seeded Grand Valley State University on Saturday, falling 55-32 in the second round of the NCAA Division II Playoffs.
 
The Lions' season ends with a record of 11-2, tying the school record for the most wins in a season. Grand Valley advances with a 12-0 record.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- The Lions completed the second-best four-year run in the program's history, with this year's senior class winning 35 games.
- A&M-Commerce junior wide receiver/return specialist Buck Wilson had 262 all-purpose yards, with four receptions for 100 yards and two touchdowns. He also had 162 kickoff return yards on seven chances.
- Quarterback Luis Perez established new single-season passing records for yardage and touchdowns after completing 25-of-50 passes for 319 yards and three touchdowns. His 3,326 passing yards and 32 touchdown passes are the new school records for those categories.
- Running back Richard Cooper had eight carries for 69 yards, taking his season total to 1,004 yards. He becomes the fourth rusher in Lion history to have consecutive 1,000-yard seasons and finishes fifth in school history in career rushing yards with 3,174 yards. He also had seven receptions for 57 yards in the game.
- Lance Evans had six receptions for 87 yards and a score.
- Cornerback Yusef Sterling-Lowe had a 97-yard interception return for a touchdown.
- GVSU running back Marty Carter had 33 carries for 217 yards and quarterback Bart Williams completed 17-of-26 passes for 311 yards, four touchdowns and a pick.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Lions received the opening kickoff but were forced to punt. GVSU hit a big play on its first offensive snap before the Lion defense buckled down and forced a field goal.
 
A&M-Commerce responded with its own big play, as a 35-yard Cooper carry put the Lions just outside the red zone. A Kristov Martinez field goal from 37 yards out tied the game at 3-all.
 
The Lions stopped GVSU on a fourth down attempt, but were then forced to punt. The Lakers went 41 yards in four plays after a good return and a Williams to Nick Dodson 13-yard touchdown pass gave the hosts a 10-3 lead with 3:25 left in the first quarter.
 
Grand Valley intercepted a pass near midfield on the first play of the next Lion drive and the Lakers scored two plays later to push their lead to 17-3 at the end of the first quarter.
 
Perez found Wilson from nine yards out on the second play of the second quarter, cutting the lead to 17-10 just 11 seconds into the frame.
 
After each team punted, the Lakers put together a 96-yard drive in 12 plays, with a 28-yard touchdown pass at the 6:24 mark putting the GV lead back at two touchdowns.
 
Perez connected with Wilson just three plays later, this time finding the Commerce native for a 68-yard scoring play, narrowing the Lion deficit to 24-17 with 5:32 left in the half.
 
The Lakers made the halftime score 31-17 with 1:12 left in the half on Williams' third scoring pass of the half. Both teams averaged around eight yards per play in the half, but GVSU held on to the ball for 11:22 in the second quarter thanks to the long drive.
 
Grand Valley took the kickoff in the second half and looked to push their lead to three scores before Sterling-Lowe snagged his fourth interception of the season, scampering 97 yards down the sideline to paydirt and cutting the lead to 31-24 five minutes into the half.
 
The big play did not deter the Lakers, who drove 71 yards in 10 plays, with a Terrell Dorsey scoring rush at the 5:23 mark of the quarter putting the hosts back up by two scores.
 
The Lions were held to a three-and-out, and a completed pass on a fake punt fell one yard short of the line to gain. GVSU answered with a nine-play drive which ended in a Carter scoring carry, making it a 45-24 lead for the home side just before the fourth quarter.
 
A&M-Commerce had the ball for only 1:49 in the third quarter, running five plays to the Lakers' 29.
 
Early in the fourth quarter, A&M-Commerce saw a fourth down attempt fall short and the Lakers pushed their lead to 24 on the ensuing drive with a 38-yard field goal.
 
The Lions would not go away quietly, however. The offense converted a fourth down on the way to a 10-play, 70-yard drive. Perez connected with Evans from 13 yards out with 8:44 to play. A two-point conversion completion to Wilson cut the lead to two scores at 48-32.
 
A&M-Commerce forced GVSU to punt, but a fourth down pass in Grand Valley territory was intercepted. The Lakers scored four plays later to put the final score at 55-32.
 
The Lions' season ends with three straight Lone Star Conference championships, their fourth consecutive postseason appearance, second consecutive NCAA Division II Playoff appearance, and the first home playoff game and first playoff win in 25 years.