Wichita Falls, Texas – A&M-Commerce held No. 11 Midwestern State to a 34 percent field goal percentage while overcoming a 10-point second half deficit to earn the Lions' third road win over a top 25 opponent with a 70-66 victory over the Mustangs Saturday night in the D.L. Ligon Coliseum in another wild Lone Star Conference game.
 
Turning Point
- After Midwestern State took a 10-point lead, 38-28, with 17:21 left in the second half, the Lions clapped down defensively and ramped up the offense with a game-changing 24-8 run over the next 8:37 of play to take a 52-46 lead with just over eight minutes remaining.
 
Highlights
- Bryant Crowder paced the Lions with 21 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the floor. Crowder also picked up six blocks.
 
- Everrett Pleasant followed with 16 points coming off the bench. He was 5-of-9 from the floor, 1-of-2 from 3-point range and 5-of-6 from the free throw line.  Fourteen of Pleasant's 16 points came in the second half. Pleasant also paced the Lions with nine rebounds just missing a double-double.
 
- Jeremy Jones was the third Lion in double figures with 10 points. Jones also handed out six assists.
 
- The Lions shot 46 percent from the field including a 45 percent mark from behind the arc, while holding MSU to just 35 percent overall and a chilly 18 percent, 4-of-22, from long range.
 
- A&M-Commerce survived despite turning the ball over 19 times. MSU took advantage of those 19 turnovers and scored 24 points. The Mustangs had eight turnovers resulting in two points for the Lions.
 
Inside the box score
- With the win, the Lions improve to 16-6 overall and 5-4 in the crowded Lone Star Conference. It also give the Lions a 3-0 record against ranked opponents when playing on the road.  Along with Saturday's 70-66 win over No. 11 Midwestern State, the Lions topped then ranked No. 4 Angelo State 93-88 on January 9 and beat then ranked No. 22 Tarleton State 67-65 on January 30.
 
- The Lions picked up their first win on the road at Midwestern State since the 2003-04 season snapping an eight game losing streak to the Mustangs.
 
- The Lions are 3-1 against ranked teams in 2015-16 with the lone loss coming at home to then ranked No. 4 MSU on January 16. In the last three seasons, the Lions have racked up eight wins against opponents ranked in the top 25.
 
- The Lions 19 turnovers matched the second highest mark of the season.  The Lions had 23 turnovers against Newman way back on November 14 and had 19 turnovers at Eastern New Mexico on January 23.
 
- Crowder picked up his sixth 20-point game of the season in the win.
 
Summary
1st Half
- After the Mustangs held an early lead, the Lions worked their way out to an eight point lead, 24-16, with 8:15 left.
 
- The Lions kept the for the text three minutes, but after a Bryant Crowder jumper gave the Lions a 28-20 lead with 5:02 left, the Lions went ice cold from the floor. MSU closed out the final five minutes of the half with a 16-0 run to take a 36-28 lead into the half.
 
2nd Half
- The Lions scoreless drought continued to start the half. A&M-Commerce's first point in the frame, a Pleasant free throw, did not come until the 16:43 mark and its first basket came four minutes into action when Pleasant hit a jumper and was fouled on the play.
 
- The Pleasant old fashion 3-point play sparked the 24-8 run the ended with the Lions up six points, 52-46, after a De'Andre Carson triple from the right wing with 8:11 left to play.
 
- The Mustangs made an interesting cutting the lead down to two points, 52-50, with 6:42 left, only to see the Lions answer on the ensuing possession with a Ronnie White jumper. The pattern repeated itself every time MSU cut the margin down to a one-possession game the Lions had an answer.
 
- The timely shooting allowed the Lions to secure the 70-66 win.
 
What's Next?
- A&M-Commerce stays on the road with the long trip down to Kingsville to take on the Javelinas Wednesday, February 10 at 7:30 p.m. The Lions won the first meeting between the two teams, 92-68, in The Field House back on January 6.
 
- The Javelinas are in the midst of a six-game winning streak after a 75-62 loss to West Texas down in Kingsville. The Javelinas are 5-3 when playing at home in the Gil E. Steinke Physical Education Center.
 
Fans can follow all the action from the 2015-16 season on www.LionAthletics.com, through twitter @Lion_Athletics and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LionsAthletics.