SILVER CITY, N.M. - The No. 9 Texas A&M University-Commerce football team benefited from key turnovers as well as strong offensive performances on the way to a 38-24 win over Western New Mexico University at Ben Altamirano Field on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Lions move to 6-1 overall and 4-1 in the Lone Star Conference with the win, while WNMU is now 2-5 overall and 2-4 in the league.
 
A&M-Commerce hits the road again next week, traveling to Angelo State for a 6 p.m. kickoff on Saturday, October 22
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Running back Richard Cooper had 216 total yards, with 182 rushing yards on 24 carries and four receptions for 34 yards and a touchdown.
- Quarterback Luis Perez completed 22-of-35 passes for 319 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions.
- Darby Smith had five catches for 120 yards and a touchdown. Lance Evans had six catches for 89 yards and a score.
- Punter Hector Dominguez averaged 60.25 yards on four punts, with a 70-yarder.
- Kicker Kristov Martinez made a 44-yard field goal and was 5-for-5 on PATs.
- Shawn Hooks returned the first punt of the game 79 yards for a touchdown.
- The Lions turned the Mustangs over four times, with Brucks Saathoff, Cameron Rogers and Brent Walker earning interceptions.
- A&M-Commerce now has 11 interceptions on the season from 10 players. Walker is the only Lion with multiple interceptions.
- Uriah Harris had eight tackles to lead the team, also notching a tackle for loss.
- Tavita Faaiu was in on both of the Lions' sacks.
- A&M-Commerce averaged 7.2 yards per play, outgaining the Mustangs 513-499.  

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Lions lit up the scoreboard quickly, holding the Mustangs to a three-and-out before Hooks' 79-yard punt return for a touchdown. WNMU responded by taking advantage of a short field, going 42 yards in six plays, with a DeAndre Williams rushing touchdown from 3 yards out tying the game at 7-7 with 11:01 left in the first quarter.
 
A&M-Commerce regained the lead at 14-7 with 9:56 left in the opening half when Perez completed a 40-yard touchdown pass to Evans. The Mustangs tied the game at 14-all with just over two minutes remaining in the half before a 75-yard drive for A&M-Commerce was capped by a 15-yard scoring pass from Perez to D'Arthur Cowan with 31 seconds left in the second quarter. The Lions would take the 21-14 lead into the halftime break.
 
After receiving the kickoff to start the second half, the Lions pushed the lead to 24-14 on Martinez' 44-yard field goal with 11:54 on the third quarter clock.

After WNMU punted through the end zone for a touchback, the Lions needed only two plays to score on the 80-yard drive. Ovie Urevbu carried the ball for 21 yards followed by a 59-yard scoring strike from Perez to Smith, making it a 31-14 lead at the 9:26 mark of the third quarter.
 
The Mustangs scored on a 34-yard touchdown pass from Javia Hall to Treydonte Hill two plays later and a 40-yard field goal by Tyler Vargas with 2:21 left in the third cut the lead to 31-24 entering the final quarter.
 
The teams would trade turnovers and punts before A&M-Commerce put the cap on the game. Cooper touched the ball on every play of a six-play, 39-yard drive after the Rogers pick, scoring on an 8-yard pass from Perez to make it a 38-24 lead with 2:48 to go.
 
WNMU drove down the field in a desperation attempt late, but Jeremiah Walters ripped a fumble out of a pile at the 1-yardline, sealing the victory.