Allen, Texas – No. 4 seed A&M-Commerce ended a 10-year Lone Star Conference Tournament Championship drought with a 68-61 upset win over No. 2 seed and No. 17 ranked Angelo State following 18 points from Anthony Adams, all of which came in the second half, Saturday night in the Allen Event Center.
 
The Lions capped off a three-day stretch with three wins including Saturday night decision over ASU after topping No. 1 seed and No. 7 ranked Tarleton State 19 hours prior to tipoff.  A&M-Commerce claims the program's fifth tournament with the last title coming in 2004-05. It is the Lions also made it to the tournament finals to ended the 2007-08 season under head coach Sam Walker marking the second time Walker has delivered a tournament championship in three appearances.
 Darrell Williams ended with 15 points and 13 rebounds for his 21st double of the season en route to being named the LSC Tournament's Most Valuable Player. Williams averaged 20 points and 15.3 rebounds in the three games. From available records, he becomes the first tournament MVP for the Lions since the 1979 tournament.
 
Williams was impressive, but Adams was dominant for the Lions.  He was held scoreless in the first half, but reeled off 18 points in the second half including 14 points in critical 10-minute stretch in the second half with Williams out of the game in foul trouble.  Adams, who was named to the all-tournament team, was 5-of-12 overall with a three-pointer and 7-of-11 from the free throw line. He also had four assists.  LaDon Carnegie ended with 14 points including a pair of huge triples and became the third Lion to earn all-tournament team. A&M-Commerce had three players named to the all-tournament for the first time since the 1984 tournament.
 
The story of the Lions tournament run cannot be written without the mention of the defensive play of the Lions most notably the work of JR Owens. Owens in consecutive nights held two first team all-league players, Tarleton State's Mo Lee Friday night and Angelo State's Chris Jones, to 13 combined points.  Jones, who entered the title tilt averaging 15.7 points on the season and 21.5 points per game in the first two games in the LSC Tournament for the Rams, was limited to six points on 2-of-6 shooting and a 2-of-6 performance from the line.
 
A&M-Commerce took a 20-18 lead into the half after both teams came out sluggish and sloppy.  The Lions shot 27 percent, while the Rams went 28 percent overall in the first frame.   Play heated in the second half right from the start as ASU strung together a 10-2 run to take a 28-22 lead three minutes into play. 

The Lions answered with an old-fashion three-point play from Williams and a Carnegie triple from the top of the arc as the Lions put together a 12-0 run to take their own six point lead, 34-28, with 14:45 remaining.  ASU was not done. The Rams flipped a 36-30 deficit into a 39-36 lead three minutes later following five points Rams eventual leading scorer in the game, Marsell Holden, who finished with 22 points including 18 points on six threes.
 After seemingly being knocked to the mat, the Loins answered the bell with six straight points from Adams to spark his 14-point run over the next 10 minutes.  By the time Adams' finished his spurt the Lions held a 12-point, 60-48, lead with 2:58 standing between the Lions and the title. 
 
But, the Rams had other ideas thanks to threes from DeQauvious Wagner and Holden with Holden's last three cutting the Lion lead down to four points, 65-61, with 24 seconds left giving the Lions faithful in attendance a scare.
 
Carnegie iced the game with two free throws 11 nine seconds apart, and Eddie Leal capped off the scoring with a final free throw to give the Lions the 68-61 win.
 
With the win, the Lions secured the league's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament with a trip the South Central Regional. Even before the title, the Lions had all but guaranteed their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament in ten years – the 2004-05 season – and the second under Coach Walker.  The Lions will be making their fifth NCAA appearance and 17th overall postseason tournament.  A&M-Commerce made the NAIB National Tournament four times and made the NAIA National Tournament nine times.
 
The Lions will find out who, when and where they will play in the South Central Regional Sunday night at 9:30 p.m. on the NCAA DII Men's Basketball Selection Show.
 
Fans can follow all the action from the 2014-15 season on www.LionAthletics.com, through twitter @Lion_Athletics and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LionsAthletics.
 
Lone Star Conference Tournament Championship Game Notes
- The Lions win their first Lone Star Conference Championship in a decade, and their fourth all-time. They have now taken home titles in 2015, 2005, and back-to-back in 1977 and 1978.
 
- Darrell Williams logged the 22nd double-double of the season with a 15 point, 13 rebound performance.
 
- LaDon Carnegie scored 14 points, shooting four of five from deep. It was the 19th time the senior has reached double-digit scoring this season.
 
- Anthony Adams scored 18 points, adding four assists. It was the 18thh time Adams reached double-figures this season. Adams, Carnegie and Williams were all named to the LSC All-Tournament team.
 
- The score at halftime was 20-18 in favor of the Lions, which is the lowest score the Lions have held an opponent to in the first half all season.
 
- With the win, the Lions are now 28-32 all-time in the LSC Tournament, and 5-3 in LSC Tournament games held in the Allen Event Center.
 
- This was the 88th game played between the Lions and Rams. The Lions improve their record to 46-42 in the series.
 
- Head coach Sam Walker moves to 250-179 overall.
 
- Anthony Adams, LaDon Carnegie and Darrell Williams were named LSC All-Tournament Team … It is the first time since 1984 when Tony Coger, Greg Johnson and Julius Poinstette were named all-tournament that the Lions have three players recognized.
 
- Darrell Williams named LSC Tournament MVP … From available records Williams wins the LSC Tournament MVP for the first time for the Lions since 1979 when Mike Williams was the tournament's Most Valuable Player.