Box Score

COMMERCE, Texas – A 13-2 run to open the game for #7 West Texas A&M (15-1, 6-0 Lone Star) set the tone of how the afternoon would go. The Lady Buffs never let the Lions get back within 20 points en route to a 99-66 win over A&M-Commerce (3-13, 2-5).  

A&M-Commerce has now dropped the last nine meetings with West Texas A&M. The last win for the Lions came back in the2007 Lone Star Conference Tournament.

The Lions struggled from the free throw line all afternoon, shooting just 42.3% (11-of-26) and were unable to keep the Lady Buffs off the glass. The Lady Buffs recorded half of their 50 rebounds on the offensive glass. West Texas A&M's offense was not missing a beat all afternoon. The Lady Buffs shot 52% from the floor (39-of-75) and 46.7% from three-point range.  West Texas also held a 54-34 advantage in points in the paint.

Breanna Harris led the way for the Lions with 18 points and six rebounds. Abigail Leaupepe-Tele registered her second double-double of the season with 10 points and 12 rebounds for the Lions. Alize Pegue dished out a career high seven assists and backcourt-mate Ashlee Johnson had four assists and no turnovers, along with three points.  

After the 13-2 run the Lions tried to get back into game by cutting the lead to 11 twice in the next five minutes but could not get any closer. After a layup from Danielle Dixon, West Texas came right back down to get lead back to 13 with a Taryn Borchardt jumper with 11:04 to play in the first half.

The West Texas lead kept growing as the half drew to a close and the Lady Buffs held their biggest lead of the half at 24, 47-23, with 1:58 remaining after a three-pointer from Jordan Vessels. A jumper from Devin Oliver got the lead back to 20 heading into the break at 49-29.

The Lions got back-to-back buckets from Breanna Harris and Alize Pegue to open the second half to get them back within 16. West Texas then outscored them 20-10 over the next five minutes to get the lead to 26 with less than 14 minutes to play.

A&M-Commerce was unable to get back within 21 for the remainder of the afternoon as West Texas brought the lead out to 34, 95-61, with 2:27 to play in the game. A free throw by Ariel Robertson with under a minute to play got the Lady Buffs to the winning margin of 33, 99-66.

A&M-Commerce will try to end its two game losing streak when the Pioneers of Texas Woman's come to The Field House on Wednesday, January 29 with a tipoff scheduled for 5:30.