Commerce, Texas – Down 10 points with 5:47 left to play, the Lions strung together a 13-1 run highlighted by an Anthony Adams triple from the right wing to propel A&M-Commerce to a 73-69 win over West Texas and to reach the 20-win mark for the first time in a decade in the Field House Saturday night.
 
"I would have to say reaching 20-wins is really good, but the way we did it tonight was the impressive part," A&M-Commerce head coach Sam Walker said.  "Teams I have had in the past that were successful had a signature game to get them over the hump. We certainly did not want to be down 12 with nine and a half left but to overcome that I am hoping gives us the wherewithal throughout the rest of the season to know we can win any time we step out on the floor and stop looking at the scoreboard – just do what we do."
 
With 9:21 left to play, the game's leading scorer, David Chavlovich, who poured in 27 points, knocked down a jumper in the paint to give the Buffs a 59-47 lead.  Four minutes later, the Buffs held their double-digit advantage, 65-55, with 5:47 to play, but the Lions responded to the roughly 1,200 fans in attendance defense chant. 
 
A&M-Commerce clammed down forcing four missed WT shots and allowing only one point in a span of 3:27 seconds.  During the span, the Lions offense kicked into a higher gear led by Adams who scored eight of the team's 13 points including six points from behind the arc on a pair of threes during the stretch.  Darrell Williams, who finished with his 17th double-double of the season with 17 points and 13 rebounds, scored the other five points dominating the glass and the paint for the Lions.
 
It was two free throws by Williams that started the run, but it was Adams' three-point shooting at the heart of the surge.  The dagger for the Lions came with 3:03 left to play when Adams nailed an NBA range triple from the right wing on an assist from Christian Macauley.  Adams' trey gave the Lions their first lead, 67-66, since the 16-minute mark in the second half.  It was a lead they would not relinquish either.
 
After a made Buff free throw, Macauley got a putback basket to keep the margin at three points, 70-67, with just under two-minutes remaining, but Jeff Bonner answered with a basket keeping the deficit at one point, 70-69, 20 seconds later.  Adams knocked down a pair of free throws with 23 seconds to play pushing the gap back to three points, 72-69.  The Buffs advanced the ball into the frontcourt and called a timeout to set up a corner three for Chavlovich on the inbounds, but his attempt clanked off.  Macauley hauled in the rebound and was quickly fouled.  Macauley made the first of his two attempts, which was enough to secure the 73-69 win.
 
It was a game that featured on three lead changes and seven ties.  WT led for 28:53 seconds.  The Lions on the other hand, only led for 8:21, but led on the scoreboard with the final horn sounded.  The Lions only led twice in the first half with the Buffs taking a 32-30 lead into the break.
 
Adams finished as the Lions' leading scorer with 20 points on 6-of-14 shooting from the floor and 3-of-6 from long range.  He was also 5-of-6 from the free throw line picking up his third 20 point game of the season.  Everrett Pleasant and Craig Fofang came off the bench for the Lions to score nine points each.  Pleasant was a perfect 3-for-3 from the floor.
 
A&M-Commerce controlled the glass, 40-23, and the paint outscoring WT inside 36-16.  The Lions capitalized on their 14 offensive rebounds with 19 second chance points.
 
Trailing Chavlovich's performance for the Buffs was Miles Gatewood, who tallied 12 points.
 
The win lifts the Lions to 20-6 on the season and 8-4 in the Lone Star Conference.  It is the first time since the 2004-05 season the Lions have toppled the 20-win mark.  Overall, the Lions have accomplished the feat 15 times dating back to program's first 20-win season in 1929-30.  It was Walker at the helm of the 2004-05 team making this the second time A&M-Commerce has reached the milestone under his direction.
 
A&M-Commerce has accomplished the feat with the eighth toughest schedule according to the NCAA rankings.  The Lions become the 30th team out of the 294 NCAA Division II men's basketball teams in the country to reach 20 wins in the 2014-15 season.
 
The Lions welcome now ranked no. 10 Angelo State into the Field House Wednesday, February 25 with tipoff set for 7:30 p.m.  The Rams, who haven't loss back-to-back games all season, will enter the Wednesday's contest after an 81-78 road loss to Cameron Saturday.  The game Wednesday will be Senior Night for the Lions who will honor their four seniors, LaDon Carneige, Eddie Leal, Macauley and Williams.  The Lions will wrap up the season on the road at no. 10 Tarleton State Saturday, February 28 at 7 p.m.
 
 "Whether we win or lose against Angelo State and Tarleton State we will probably play this team (WT) again in the first round of the (LSC) tournament." Walker said.  "Then turnaround and either play Angelo or the Tarleton again if we win the first round game.  It is Tarleton, Angelo and West Texas in some order from here on out until we hopefully get into regionals."
 
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