Commerce, Texas – A&M-Commerce reeled off its fourth straight win with a 93-85 victory over Southern Arkansas on the heels of another stellar defensive performance Monday night in the Lion Field House in nonconference action.
 
The Lions (6-2) cruised out to a 48-34 lead at the half thanks in large part to a sizzling 55 percent field goal percentage, while limiting the Muleriders to only 40 percent.  The Southern Arkansas field goal percentage sat around 30 percent for the majority of the first half, but crept up over the final six minutes of the stanza as the Muleriders cut the Lion lead from 21 points, 41-20, down to the 14-point halftime margin.
 
Anthony Adams had 15 of his 17 points at the half on 5-of-6 shooting overall including three 3-point baskets.  Adams also had four of his five assists in the first 20 minutes.
 
After the intermission, the Lions took the lead out to 23 points, 82-59 – the largest margin of the game – with 7:50 to play.  However, the Muleriders chipped away at the lead thanks in part to a 42 percent second half shooting percentage, while the Lions only shot 37 percent in the final frame.  However, A&M-Commerce, who never really had the lead threatened, took home its fourth in the last seven days with the 93-85 decision.
 
"I know we gave up a lot of points, but I thought we played really well defensively," A&M-Commerce head coach Sam Walker said.  "We scored a plethora of ways – we scored at the rim and we hit threes.  I was really pleased with our overall effort tonight."
 
The Lions finished the game shooting 46 percent from the floor, while the Muleriders ended at 41 percent clip.  Southern Arkansas became the fifth Lion opponent to launch over 30 triples as the Muleriders heaved up 38 threes connecting on 15 of those attempts for 39 percent.  The Lions hit eight of their 22 attempts from three including a 1-of-8 mark in the second half after starting out 7-of-14.  The NCAA's leader in free throw attempts and free throw makes continued their pace as A&M-Commerce went to the line 43 times connecting on 31 of those attempts for 72 percent.  Meanwhile, Southern Arkansas shot only 19 times from the charity stripe converting on 10 of those attempts.
 
LaDon Carnegie paced A&M-Commerce with 22 points on 6-of-12 shooting from the floor including a 3-of-6 mark from long range.  Double-double machine, Darrell Williams, who entered Monday night's game as the only player in the Lone Star Conference averaging a double-double, continued that trend hauling in 15 rebounds and scoring 15 points for his fifth double-double.  Williams has surpassed the 15-rebound mark in two of the last three games and three times total in eight games this season.  He is tied for fourth in the NCAA entering play Monday with four double-doubles.  Williams is also ranked fifth in the NCAA in total rebounds, and one of the leading reasons the Lions are ranked third in the country in defensive rebounds and total rebounds.  Everrett Pleasant quietly chipped in 10 points and seven rebounds.
 
The Lions will take the four days off before returning to the hardwood Saturday, December 6 in rematch against Dallas Baptist with tipoff time moved to 4 p.m. immediately following the women's game against Rogers Stats at 2 p.m.
 
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