COMMERCE, TEXAS – A&M-Commerce women's basketball (12-9; 6-5 in LSC) returned to their winning ways and pushed their home-record to 8-3 on the season as they cruised past the visiting A&M-Kingsville Javalinas (0-22; 0-12 in LSC) 74-57.
 
After a tight first half in which both teams played evenly matched basketball, the Lions entered the second frame like a team possessed. A&M-Commerce stormed through the first 13 minutes of the half on a 35-11 run and extending the lead to a game-high 28-point lead, with the Lions going up 72-44. The combination of stifling defense from head coach Jason Burton's squad, as well as plain-bad shooting from the Javelinas, saw A&M-Kingsville go a mere 5 of 35 (14.3%) across the entire second half.
 
"We came out on a mission to play much better defense in the second half," said Burton, "Our first unit came in and did a great job of setting the tone defensively, and the bench really fed off that."
 
The Lions win was a team-effort in nearly every sense of the term. Six different Lions scored at least six points, led by Gabby Scott's 16 on 5 of 11 shooting. The sophomore guard was also a menace in passing lanes, leading all players with four steals, setting a career-high in the process. Nearly everybody chipped in on the glass, as a whopping eight Lions recorded at least four boards on a night when A&M-Commerce out-rebounded A&M-Kingsville 51-40.
 Seniors Abigail Leaupepe-Tele and Ashlee Johnson provided the Lions with extremely well-rounded performances. Leaupepe-Tele put in nine points, seven boards, a steal and a game-high three blocks on the night. Johnson meanwhile was second on the Lions in scoring with 11, while also compiling six rebounds, six assists, a block and a steal. Princess Davis would also have a sound night with seven points and a game-high seven assists. Also of note, sophomore center Angelle Simon came off the bench to record a career-high three blocks in just seven minutes.
 
"Every win is important, but getting this win was big in the fact that it guaranteed us a spot in the conference tournament, and it also ended the two-game skid," said Burton, "Our eyes are set on much bigger goals, though."
 
As a team, the Lions outperformed the Javelinas in nearly every major statistical category, including blocks (8 to 1), assists (14 to 6), and field goal percentage (39.7% vs. 26.6%). The one glaring weakness for the Lions, which they'll assuredly look to correct going forward, was their lackluster performance from the free throw line (59.3%).
 
With the loss, the Javelinas drop to 0-22 overall, and are in danger of having their worst season in school-history, their current low-water mark coming in the 2010-11 season, when they went 3-23 overall. Yet remarkably, the Javelinas are still alive in the playoff hunt, as they sit just a game back of Angelo State (6-15; 1-10 in LSC), who currently occupies the eighth and final spot for the conference tournament. The Javelinas will next have the chance at their first home-win of the season this Valentine's Day, when they host the visiting Tarleton State TexAnns (13-8; 6-6 in LSC).
 
As for the Lions, the victory moves their win-total to 12, higher than at any point in the previous coaching regime and the highest total since the 2008-09 season, when the Lions went 18-11. A&M-Commerce will have two days to recuperate hitting the road west for San Angelo to take on Angelo State. That game is scheduled for Sunday, February 15 at 4 p.m. in the Junell Center.