CANYON - The Texas A&M University-Commerce men's basketball team's season came to a conclusion in the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Semifinal, as the Lions fell to West Texas A&M, 93-70.
 
The Lions' season ends at 22-9 in their first season under head coach Jaret von Rosenberg.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Willie Rooks led the Lion scorers with 20 points.
- Reggie Reid scored 15 points and passed out a team-best five assists.
- The Lions shot 41.5 percent (22-of-53) from the field, with a 38.5 percent (10-of-26) reate from three-point range. A&M-Commerce made 16-of-23 (69.6 percent) of its free throws.
- West Texas A&M shot 50.9 percent (28-of-55) from the field, including a 59.3 percent (16-of-27) rate in the second half.
- Dorian Armstrong, Trey Conrod, and Aaron Horne each scored seven points.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The first half of the contest went back and forth between the two familiar rivals, with neither squad able to extend a lead of more than two possessions at any point in the frame.
 
Both teams hit three-pointers for their opening scores, and Conrod scored the Lions' opening six points. Gaige Prim took control for the Buffs for a six minute period, scoring eight straight WT points. The hosts led by four at 12-8 with 14:55 left in the frame.
 
The Lions responded with a 10-2 run, holding WT without a field goal for nearly five minutes. A Rooks triple kickstarted the surge, and Reid's trey with 11 minutes to play in the half pushed the Lions out to an 18-14 advantage
 
WT's Gach Gach tied the game at 22-all with a three-pointer at the 7:27 mark and the hosts outscored the Lions 11-6 in the final two media breaks. The game was tied with 3:22 left in the half at 28-all on a Joseph Williams-Powell jumper, but the Lions failed to score again in the period. West Texas scored the final five points in the half to take a 33-28 lead into the dressing room.
 
The Lions shot 45.8 percent (11-of-24) in the half, making 4-of-12 three-pointers (33.3 percent), but only 2-of-5 (40.0 percent) of their free throw opportunities. West Texas A&M had a 20-12 rebounding edge and converted six offensive rebounds into seven second chance points. The Lions also held David Chavlovich – the Lone Star Conference's all-time leading scorer – without a point in the opening 20 minutes.
 
The Buffs raced out to a double digit lead in the first two and a half minutes of the second half, going up 41-31. The Lions used three straight three-pointers by Horne, Rooks, and Armstrong to cut the lead back down to four points at 44-40 with 15:50 to play.
 
Unfortunately for the Lions, a long streak without a two-point basket allowed the Buffs to run out to a commanding lead. WT went on a 21-6 run over a four minute span and suddenly led 65-46 with 11 minutes remaining.
 
The Lions were unable to cut that advantage to any fewer than 17 points in the remainder of the contest.