Canyon, Texas – Despite five turnovers and one field goal over the final five and a half minutes of play, A&M-Commerce's JR Owen hit what proved to be the game-winning free throw with nine seconds left to lift the Lions over West Texas A&M, 76-75, Saturday afternoon in a Lone Star Conference showdown in the First United Bank Center.
 
After trailing at the half 43-39, A&M-Commerce came out of the break with an 8-0 run to take a four-point lead, 47-43, two minutes into action.  The Lions pushed the lead out to its largest margin, 73-63, on an Anthony Adams jumper with 5:49 remaining and looked to run the clock out for the win. 
 
Instead, A&M-Commerce went the next two and a half minutes from the floor without a field goal as the Buffs used a 9-0 run to chip the Lion lead down to just one point, 73-72, with 2:44 left.  Adams, who was a game-time decision on whether he would play or not due to an injury suffered against East New Mexico, halted the run and the scoring drought for the Lions with a layup to regain a three-point, 75-72, A&M-Commerce advantage on the ensuing Lion possession.
 
Things continued to get dicey for the Lions with a pair of turnovers on their next two possessions, but the Buffs, who scored 21 points off of 21 A&M-Commerce turnovers, could not capitalize on the critical miscues with points in crunch time.  A missed jumper and an poorly advised forced three-pointer both by David Chavlovich with the latter coming with 51 seconds to play avoided further trouble for the Lions.  Chavlovich, who finished with a team-high 21 points for the Buffs, redeemed himself with a pair of free throws with 21 seconds left to cut the Lion lead back to a point, 75-74, with 21 seconds left.  On the next possession, a missed Lion free throw landed in the hands of JR Owens for an offensive rebounds.  Owens was immediately fouled and sent to the line with nine seconds left.  Owens missed the first, but calmly made the second bucket for a two-point advantage 76-74.
 
WT opted for the tie instead of the win when Miles Gatewood dribbled the length of the floor for a layup.  Gatewood was fouled on the drive and was sent to the charity stripe with a chance to tie the game.  Gatewood's first attempt came up short, but he made his second to cut the score back down to a point, 76-75, with nine seconds showing.  The Lions just needed to inbounds the ball cleanly to run out the clock, instead on the inbounds Owens and Buff defender went for the inbounds in the corner, the defender's momentum along with Owens' momentum sent Owens into the stands and gave WT the ball on the sideline with four seconds left.
 
Gatewood, who capped the night at 15 points for WT, caught the inbounds pass and settled for an NBA range three that came up short as time expired giving the Lions the 76-75 win.  A&M-Commerce improves to 15-3 on the season and 4-1 in LSC play.  The 4-1 start in conference play is the best start through the first five LSC games for the Lions since the 2009-10 season when the Lions won four of their first five. 
 
The Lions finished the game at 58 percent from the floor for their highest field goal percentage of the season, 33 percent from three and 62 percent from the charity stripe on 13-of-21.  WT ended 42 percent overall, 27 percent from three on 8-of-29 shooting and 61 percent from the free throw line.  The Buffs, who entered as the LSC's leader in three-point field goals per game, knocked down five triples in the first frame, but the Lion defense clamped down allowing on three over the final 20 minutes. 
 
Darrell Williams churned out his sixth 20-point game and a double-double in his last seven contest with a game-high 22 points on 10-of-15 shooting from the floor and 13 rebounds.  He also turned in his highest assist number of the season with a game-high five.  Williams scored 11 points in each half, but his final basket came at the 7:29 mark in the second half.
 
Christian Macauley followed with his season best 14 points after going 4-of-5 from the flield incluing a three-pointer and 5-of-6 from the free throw line.
 
The Lions enter are about to enter a brutal four-game stretch of conference play with three of those awaiting contest against ranked opponents.  The swing starts with a road trip to No. 11 Angelo State on Wednesday, 28 with tipoff at 8 p.m., a home game against No. 15 Tarleton State on Saturday, January 31 at 6 p.m., a road trip to Cameron on Wednesday, February 4 at 8 p.m. and back at home in the Field House against No. 23 Midwestern State.
 
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