COMMERCE, TEXAS – Women's basketball returns to the Field House for just the second time so far this season, where they will look to forge their first winning streak of the year against the visiting Rogers State Hillcats (1-4).
 
The Lions enter Saturday's contest coming off a 54-52 win in Southern Arkansas last week. The 52 points allowed is the lowest total by an opponent since the 2012-13 season, when the Lions beat Incarnate Word 60-51 on January 2, 2013. Veteran Ashlee Johnson led the way for the Lions in that game with a 10-4-4 to go along with three steals over the course of a game-high 35 minutes. She currently leads the LSC in minutes (33.8 MPG) and steals (2.5 SPG), while ranking second in the conference in assists (4.3 APG).
 
Johnson isn't the only senior providing pivotal leadership for the Lions this season. Forward La'Tisha Hearne began the season by claiming LSC Offensive Player of the Week honors following her strong performances against McMurry and Henderson State. Hearne currently averages 12.6 points and 8.2 rebounds, the eighth and fourth best marks in the LSC respectively. Additionally, senior forward Abigail Leaupepe-Tele has provided key-production for the Lions, averaging 6.2 points and 7.2 rebounds per game in only 19.8 minutes of action on average.
 
Freshman forward Artaejah Gay has given A&M-Commerce excellent looks coming off the bench. She averages 7.2 points and 4.8 rebounds per game, and also averages a block per game, the sixth highest mark in the conference.
 
Rogers State comes off an uncharacteristic 2013-14 season in which they went 9-17 overall, finishing eighth in the Heartland conference. Prior to that, they had strung together four consecutive seasons in which they won at least 21 games in each year. Former five-year assistant Bobby Cope takes over head-coaching duties this season in an effort to restore the Hillcats to their former glory. But at 1-4, they have their work cut out for them, as they head to the Field House to play the Lions for the first time in school-history.
 
Junior forward Amari Jones has been a versatile threat for the Hillcats on both offense and defense. She leads her team in points (11.5 PPG), rebounds (9.8 RPG) and blocks (1.4 BPG), while also providing RSU with one steal per game. However, Jones did not play in RSU's prior game, a 62-44 loss at Northwest Missouri State, making her status for Saturday uncertain.
 
Guards Kami Bunch and Stacia Payne have been two of the other impatful players for the Hillcats this year. Bunch has been their main facilitator, averaging a team-high 5.6 assists per game, while Payne has been dangerous in passing lanes with 2.6 steals per game.
 
The numbers suggest the Hillcats and Lions are similar in many statistical fields, though there are some key deviations. The Hillcats average 2.4 more steals and 2.2 more assists per game than the Lions. However, the Lions average a 2.2 more rebounds and a whopping 10.4 more points per game.
 
Tipoff is scheduled for Saturday, November 6 at 2 p.m. in the Field House. Tickets will grant admission for both this game as well as the men's game against Dallas Baptist immediately following. Admission costs $8 for fans 13 and over. For children 4-12, tickets are $5. For children three and under, as well as students with a valid school ID, admission is free of charge.