A&M-COMMERCE RETURNS TO ACTION HOSTING SOUTHERN ARKANSAS MONDAY
| Final | 1 | 2 | T |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Arkansas (3-0) | 27 | 40 | 67 |
| A&M-Commerce (4-2) | 37 | 37 | 74 |
| Commerce, TX (The Field House) | |||
| Southern Arkansas | A&M-Commerce |
|---|---|
| Pts: SHEARS, Terrell - 14 | Pts: Devondrick Walker - 20 |
| Reb: SHEARS, Terrell - 8 | Reb: Preston Whitley - 9 |
| Ast: DAVIS, Chris - 5 | Ast: Tyrie Wooten - 5 |
| Team Statistics | Southern Arkansas | A&M-Commerce |
|---|---|---|
| Field Goal % | 41.9% (26-62 ) | 51.0% (26-51 ) |
| Rebounds | 32 | 36 |
| Assists | 16 | 22 |
| Turnovers | 17 | 21 |
| Pts off Turnovers | 20 | 20 |
| 2nd Chance Pts | 12 | 7 |
| Pts in the Paint | 24 | 34 |
| Fastbreak Pts | 10 | 15 |
| Bench Pts | 31 | 14 |
A&M-Commerce Lions vs. Southern Arkansas Muleriders
Monday, November 26 • 7 p.m.
The Field House • Commerce, Texas
Records: A&M-Commerce (4-2); Southern Arkansas (3-0)
Live Video: LionAthletics.com (powered by Stretch Internet)
Radio: KETR 88.9 FM (listen online at KETR.org)
Live Stats: LionAthletics.com
Twitter Updates: @Lion_Athletics
A&M-Commerce Game Notes (PDF)
Opening Tip
A&M-Commerce returns to action following a break for the Thanksgiving holiday, hosting Southern Arkansas at 7 p.m. Monday, November 26th at the Field House.
Lions on the Web
Fans unable to make it to the Field House for Monday's game against Southern Arkansas can still stay up to date on every Lion basket. Live streaming video of the game, powered by Stretch Internet, is available at LionAthletics.comthrough a subscription. A single-game pass is $7.95 with a season-long subscription available. KETR 88.9 FM will carry the game live with Charlie Chitwood on the call and will be streamed online at KETR.org. Live stats are available at LionAthletics.com and Twitter followers receiving in-game updates @Lion_Athletics.
Scouting the Muleriders
2012-13: 3-0 overall, 1-0 road
Last Three Games: W vs. Ecclesia (105-58), W vs. Central Baptist (101-63), W at Champion Baptist (100-66)
Head Coach: Andy Sharpe (Reinhardt, 2002). First season at Southern Arkansas (3-0, 1.000); Eighth season overall (171-70, .710)
Key Players:
• #3 Darrin Johnson (Jr., G): 58 pts. (19.3 ppg), 61.8 FG%, 55.0 3FG%, 83.3 FT%, 4 ast., 7 stl.
• #4 Nigel Jones (Jr., G/F): 54 pts. (18.0 ppg), 61.0 FG%, 33.3 3FG%, 22 reb. (7.3 rpg), 5 ast., 4 stl.
• #12 Daviel Clements (Sr., G): 43 pts. (14.3 ppg), 42.9 FG%, 40.0 3FG%, 100.0 FT%, 11 reb. (3.7 rpg), 10 ast., 4 stl.
• #42 Tevin Worthy (Jr., F): 30 pts. (10.0 ppg), 50.0 FG%, 33.3 FT%, 19 reb. (6.3 rpg), 3 ast., 5 blk.
• #25 Duke Reed (Jr., F): 22 pts. (7.3 ppg), 47.6 FG%, 100.0 FT%, 21 reb. (7.0 rpg), 2 stl.
Synopsis: Southern Arkansas has started off 2012-13 in dominating fashion, recording 100 points in all three contests while boasting an average margin of victory of nearly 40 points. The Muleriders are shooting 47.8 percent from the floor and 39.0 percent from the free throw line and have dominated the boards, averaging 57 rebounds per game compared to just 31.3 for their opponents.
Series Information
A&M-Commerce and Southern Arkansas meet for the 34th time Monday evening as the Lions hold a 20-13 edge in the all-time meeting. The two teams met twice in 2011-12 with A&M-Commerce getting the upper hand on both occasions, rallying back to defeat the Muleriders 60-57 in Magnolia in the season opener, followed by a thrilling 76-74 victory at the Field House, capped by a LaBree Sledge layup with 0.7 seconds remaining to clinch the win. A&M-Commerce has won the last eight meetings against Southern Arkansas, dating back to the 2005-06 season, as head coach Sam Walker is 12-2 against the Muleriders, including a 7-0 mark at the Field House.
Lions Strong Against Arkansas Opponents
Heading into Monday's game against Southern Arkansas, A&M-Commerce has found a great deal of success against teams from the state of Arkansas in recent years. The Lions have won their last 12 games against teams from the Natural State, dating back to the 2008-09 season. During that run, the Lions are 3-0 against Henderson State, Ouachita Baptist and Southern Arkansas while posting a 1-0 mark against Arkansas-Fort Smith, Arkansas-Monticello and Harding.
Change of Pace From 2011-12
One of the reasons for the success of A&M-Commerce in the early portion of 2012-13 has been its ability to take down teams from the Lone Star state. In 2011-12, the Lions did not record their first victory against a team from the state of Texas until a 75-72 win at Abilene Christian on February 22nd as A&M-Commerce posted just two wins over Lone Star state teams on the year. So far in 2012-13, the Lions are 3-2 against Texas teams, notching a pair of victories over UT-Permian Basin and an overtime thriller against Dallas Baptist.
Walker Closing In On History
A&M-Commerce head coach Sam Walker is in his 13th season at the helm of the Lions and sits well within striking distance of a pair of coaching milestones. With the 69-56 victory over Ouachita Baptist last Tuesday, Walker upped his career record to 196-150, sitting just four victories shy of 200 for his career. Walker is also closing in on former Lion head coach Jim Gudger's all-time win mark, needing six more victories to surpass Gudger's 201 career victories during his time in Commerce.
Looking Ahead
Following Monday's showdown with Southern Arkansas, A&M-Commerce will have an eight-day hiatus before opening up the 2012-13 Lone Star Conference season on the road, traveling to Abilene Christian for possibly the final time to battle the Wildcats on Tuesday, December 4th. A&M-Commerce then returns the Field House for its first home LSC contest, taking on Angelo State at 4 p.m. Saturday, December 8th.