A&M-Commerce Lions (3-11, 2-3) at Eastern New Mexico Zias (4-8, 2-1)

January 22, 2014 - 6:30 p.m.

Greyhound Arena - Portales, New Mexico 

#7 West Texas A&M Lady Buffs (13-1, 4-0) at A&M-Commerce Lions (3-11, 2-3)

January 25, 2014

The Field House - Commerce, Texas

Live Stats: Lionathletics.com/sidearmstats

Live Audio: ketr.org (Charlie Chitwood, play-by-play)

Twitter updates: @Lion_Athetlics, @Lion_WBB

A&M-Commerce finishes up a three game stretch of road games in LSC play with its trip to Portales on Wednesday before hosting the #7 Lady Buffs of West Texas A&M at the Field House on Saturday. The Lions are coming off a road win in Lawton, Oklahoma versus Cameron that saw them hold on for a two point win after seeing a 12 point lead get nearly erased in the last two plus minutes. 

SERIES SCORE

A&M-Commerce has fared well versus the Zias in recent seasons. The Lions are 7-3 in the last 10 meetings between the two programs. A&M-Commerce swept the season series with Eastern last season after getting swept by them in the 2011-12 campaign. Prior to the two losses two seasons ago the Lions had won five straight in the series. The Lions have struggled anytime they have played the Lady Buffs in their history. The Lions have just five wins compared to 47 defeats versus the Lady Buffs including a current nine-game losing streak in the series. The last win for the Lions came back in 2006-07 season. 

Last Five Meetings (vs. ENMU)                            (vs. WT)

2010-11 The Field House W..... 64-63                2011-12 at Canyon L.........110-37

2011-12 The Field House L...... 69-52                2011-12 The Field House L 78-61

2011-12 at Portales, N.M L...... 58-53                  2012-13 at Canyon L........... 72-51

2012-13 The Field HouseW...... 69-59                2012-13 The Field House L 73-64

2012-13 at Portales, N.M W..... 66-64                  2012-13 Allen, Texas L ...... 87-76

SCOUTING THE ZIAS

Eastern New Mexico comes into the game with the Lions winners of two straight over A&M-Kingsville and Angelo State. The win over Angelo State kicked off a three game homestand for the Zias. Eastern plays Texas Woman's in the final game of the homestand on Thursday after playing the Lions. Eastern ranks sixth or lower in scoring ofference, scoring defense and margin among LSC teams this season. 

Key Players

#33 Jasmine Johnson: 10.6 ppg / 5.7 rpg / 0.5 spg / 46.8% FG

#13 Tori Tucker: 9.9 ppg / 7.2 rpg / 36.3% FG / 89.5% FT

#31 Nelsha Peterson: 9.5 ppg / 5.6 rpg / 0.8 spg / 68.5 FT

SCOUTING THE LADY BUFFS

West Texas has won sixth striaght including their first four in LSC play this season. The last loss for the Lady Buffs came versus the #3 Emprioa State Hornets in Emporia, Kansas. West Texas is also the highested ranked team in the LSC at #7 in the latest NCAA Division II poll. The Lady Buffs are ranked second in the LSC in scoiring offense, scoring defense and first in scoring margin. 

Key Players

#2 Devin Griffin: 14.2 ppg / 6.4 rpg / 2.6 apg / 1.9 spg

#44 Chontiquah White: 14.0 ppg / 6.3 rpg / 1.2 apg / 57.7% FG

#10 Casey Land: 9.8 ppg / 2.9 apg / 2.1 spg / 43% FG 

DIXON AND HARRIS AMONG GREATS

Seniors, Danielle Dixon and Breanna Harris have chances to become the ninth and 10th players in program history to reach the 1,000 points in a Lion uniform. Dixon needs 12 points to reach 1,000 and Harris needs 41 to reach that milestone. 

HARRIS CONTINUES TO GRAB DOUBLE-DOUBLES

Harris continues to put up great production despite the results on the scoreboard. Harris is averaging 17 points and 11.6 rebounds in 12 games so far. Harris has recorded double-doubles in seven of 14 games.

HARRIS NOW SECOND ON REBOUNDING LIST

Senior forward Breanna Harris is now second all-time in rebounding with 762 rebounds in her Lion career. Katedria Mosley is the all-time leader with 841 rebounds. Harris already owns two of the four best rebounding seasons in Lions history and is now just 63 away from the record. 

NEW CAREER HIGHS

Last time out versus Cameron, several Lion players set new career highs. Symone Brown set a new career high with 17 points, Alize Pegue set new career highs with seven rebounds, six assists and tied a career high with two steals. La'Tisha Hearne set a new career high with 18.

NOT MUCH RESISTANCE

The Lions have not been playing good defense so far this season. The defense has been allowing 78.1 ppg and getting outscored by 11.5 per contest. 

LIONS AMONG LSC LEADERS

PPG: Harris - 16.5 (2nd), Oliver - 10.1 (18th)

RPG: Harris - 11.1 (2nd), Hearne - 6.3 (8th)

Leaupepe-Tele - 5.1 (17th)

FG%: Harris - 58.9% (2nd)

FT%: Harris - 69.7% (10th)

Assists: Pegue - 2.6 (14th), Johnson - 2.2 (20th)

Blocks: Leaupepe-Tele - 0.8 (3rd)

Steals: Hearne, Oliver - 1.4 (t-12th)

NEW SEASON SAME PROBLEM

The Lions have struggled from the free-throw line (59.2%) like last season. Symone Brown leads the Lions with 87.5% clip so far this season. 

SHOOTING…AND…MISSING

The Lions have also struggled from behind the three-point line so far this season. Currently, A&M-C is shooting 21.0% from downtown and rank near the bottom of the LSC and all of Division II

THE LAST TIME....

The Lions scored 100: 

12/13/08 - A&M-C (W) vs. A&M-K, 101-75

Lions score 90: 

11/20/10 vs. MidamericanChristian, L 97-94

Lions Score 80: 

11/12/13 vs. SE Oklahoma, L 85-83

Lions shoot 50% FG: 

12/17/13 vs. Henderson St. L, 79-74

Lions outrebounded an win: 

12/19/13 vs. Ouachita Baptist, W 68-64

Lions 10+ Reb Margin in Win: 

1/4/14 vs. Midwestern State, +15, W, 71-64 ot

LIONS RECORD WHEN...

Lions outrebound: 1-6

Lions commit less turnovers: 1-6

Lions score 60 or fewer: 0-5

Lions score 61-75 points: 2-5

Lions score 75+: 1-2

Lions shoot more FTs: 1-3

TOUGH SLATE SO FAR

The Lions have had a tough schedule so far. A&M-Commerce has face the 82nd hardest schedule according to the Massey Ratings.