LIONS STRONG SECOND HALF PUSH FALLS SHORT AGAINST THE WILDCATS, 77-65
| Final | 1 | 2 | T |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abilene Christian (7-7, 2-6 LSC) | 40 | 37 | 77 |
| A&M-Commerce (1-12, 0-7 LSC) | 26 | 39 | 65 |
| Commerce, Texas (The Field House) | |||
| Abilene Christian | A&M-Commerce |
|---|---|
| Pts: SMITH, Kelsey - 20 | Pts: Bianca Stevenson - 17 |
| Reb: SMITH, Kelsey - 11 | Reb: TEAM - 10 |
| Ast: MARQUEZ, Renata - 4 | Ast: 2 Players (#23, #24 - 3) |
| Team Statistics | Abilene Christian | A&M-Commerce |
|---|---|---|
| Field Goal % | 39.6% (21-53 ) | 37.8% (28-74 ) |
| Rebounds | 44 | 40 |
| Assists | 17 | 13 |
| Turnovers | 13 | 10 |
| Pts off Turnovers | 14 | 12 |
| 2nd Chance Pts | 11 | 26 |
| Pts in the Paint | 20 | 36 |
| Fastbreak Pts | 0 | 2 |
| Bench Pts | 26 | 18 |
Abilene Christian 77, A&M-Commerce 65
Location: The Field House * Commerce, Texas
Records: A&M-Commerce (1-12, 0-7 LSC); Abilene Christian (7-7, 2-6 LSC)
Up Next: at Angelo State * Saturday, Jan. 14 * 5:30 p.m. * Commerce, Texas
COMMERCE, Texas – The Lions got off to a slow start in the first period of the game which was just too much to overcome after a close second half battle. The Lions second half rush pushed the Wildcats to the brink but the Lions 29 fouls proved to be just too much to overcome. A&M-Commerce now falls to 1-12 overall and, 0-7 in the LSC. Abilene Christian also moves their current winning streak over the Lions to 3 games.
Sophomore Forward Bianca Stevenson highlighted the night for the Lions by going to work on the Wildcat's defense, dropping 9 points in the first half of the game, and ending the evening as the top scorer for the first time this season with 17 points. Stevenson was only one rebound away from having her first double-double for the Lions this season. Sophomore guard Danielle Dixon chipped in with 14 points and 3 assists, and freshman guard Ashlee Johnson shot 50% hitting 5-10 shots adding in 11 points.
Despite the big night for Stevenson, the Lions fell short in their comeback effort after trailing the Wildcats 26-40 at half time. Kelsey Smith dominated for the Wildcats, scoring 12 points and snatching 7 rebounds in the first half of the game. Unfortunately for the Lions Smith wouldn't stop there, she ended up scoring 20 points and notching 11 rebounds in her double-double against the Lions.
For the most part A&M-Commerce came out in the second half and picked apart the Wildcat's defense outscoring them 39-37 in the second half. The scoring was inconsistent letting the Wildcats get as far as 18 points, but the Wildcats were feeling the heat when the Lions started a minor run towards the end of the game. A&M-Commerce hit 36 points in the paint against the Wildcats who only scored 20, but the fouls came back to bite them. The Lions ended up with another 16 fouls in the second half of the game giving the Wildcats 41 total free throws for the evening, and Abilene made the Lions pay by hitting 82.9% of their free throws going 34-41.
The Rambelles of Angelo State will be waiting at the Stephens Arena for their game with the Lions on January 14th at 5:30 PM. The Lions will only receive 3 days of rest before their long trip to San Angelo, Texas. The last time these two teams met was last season when the Rambelles landed a whopper on the Lions 95-69. The Lions will be looking to turn the tide on Angelo State who is currently holding a solid 5th place in the LSC with a 7-7 overall record and currently are 5-3 in the LSC and coming off a 77-63 loss to Tartleton State.