COMMERCE– For the first time since the 2012-13 season, the Texas A&M University-Commerce women's basketball team will play its season-opening game at home. The Lions host the inaugural 1525 Memorial Tournament, with invitees Metropolitan State of Denver, Colorado State-Pueblo and Lubbock Christian coming to Commerce for the tournament.
 

Metro State
WHO: Texas A&M-Commerce (0-0) vs. Metro State (0-0)
WHERE: The Field House in Commerce, Texas
WHEN: Friday, Oct. 10 at 3 p.m.
LIVE STATS: Click HERE
LIVE VIDEO: lionathletics.com/live
TICKETS: Click HERE
 
Colorado State-Pueblo
WHO: Texas A&M-Commerce vs. CSU-Pueblo (0-0)
WHERE: The Field House in Commerce, Texas
WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 11 at 7:30 p.m.
LIVE STATS: Click HERE
LIVE VIDEO: lionathletics.com/live
TICKETS: Click HERE
 
Lubbock Christian
WHO: Texas A&M-Commerce vs. Lubbock Christian (0-0)
WHERE: The Field House in Commerce, Texas
WHEN: Monday, Oct. 13 at 5:30 p.m.
LIVE STATS: Click HERE
LIVE VIDEO: lionathletics.com/live
TICKETS: Click HERE
 
The Lions are looking to build on one of their best seasons in program history. They finished the 2016-17 regular season with a record of 20-8, the second highest win total in program history. While the team was unable to make much noise in the postseason, head coach Jason Burton is excited to get back and build on last year's success.
 
"I'm looking forward to continuing that trend," he said. "We have improved every year. We continue to bring in better players, players that are bought into the system. The key for us right now is to get all the new additions into the fold and knowing what we do, how we play and getting them up to the level we expect. It is tough to win in the Lone Star Conference. We are getting them battle tested."
 
Burton and his staff had an eventful offseason, bringing in four college transfers. The Lions have brought in two Division I transfers: Melanie Ransom from Davidson and London Holland from Florida A&M. The team also brought in Division II transfer Jasmyn Eckerman from Southern Arkansas, and junior college transfer Bri'An Washington. Adding these players to a roster of seven returners, which includes four current or former All-LSC players, Burton sees a team that has a lot of experience.
 
"We have a lot of veterans on this team," he said. "With that comes a level of professionalism. These girls come to work everyday. Our freshmen have nothing to look at but people who know what they are doing and have been there before. Having leadership like the people we have on this roster right now, has been huge this offseason."
 
The team also includes five freshman additions. The team brought in Agang Tac, a 6-0 freshman from Sachse, who Burton calls maybe the most athletic player on the team. Other additions include Jocelyn Pierce, a three-time 4A State Champion from Argyle, Kiara Pesina, a 5-3 guard from Highlands, Alex Nance, a 5-9 guard from Round Rock and Taylor Green, a 5-7 guard from Stony Point.
 
"Anytime you have a freshman on the roster, there is definitely a big learning curve," Burton said. "But I feel like the freshmen that we have on this team have bought into the process and bought in to learning from our veterans.
 
"I'm just excited about this team because we have brought in players that I think really fit what we want to do. People who are versatile that can play all over the floor. When you have people that can play all over the floor and guard all over the floor, it is just exciting to have a team like that that's hungry and doesn't care what position they are. They just want to play basketball."
 
The Lions were a strong rebounding team and an aggressive team in the paint last season. They led the entire Division II in free throws made and were top 15 in the country in free throw attempts, offensive rebounds and rebounds per game. Burton hopes his team can continue to excel in those areas. He also feels his team has improved its ability to shoot the three-pointer. He foresees his team being able to use their inside game to allow outside shooters to get easy looks.
 
"Getting into the paint for us has really been something that has been a staple for us," he said. "It has been good for us in multiple ways. And a big point of that has been getting to the free throw line. One difference that we went out this year and tried to improve on is shooting. Now when we are able to get into the paint, we are able to kick out to shooters. We haven't been a team in the past that has been able to knock down the three-point shot. That is hopefully something we have gone out and improved on this year. Hopefully this season, you will see an improved three-point shooting team."
 
With all the veterans on his team, Burton decided he wanted to challenge his team even more this season. From a scheduling standpoint, he went out and tried to get the most difficult schedule he could, not only to prepare his team for the rigors of the Lone Star Conference, but to put themselves in position to make the NCAA Tournament in March.
 
"We decided, with the team we had coming back this year with the veterans we have, this is a year we needed to go out and play some people and really put ourselves in position for postseason play, regardless of what happens in the Lone Star Conference," Burton said. "We went out and got the toughest schedule we have had since I've been here. When you look at Lubbock Christian, who was the national champion two years ago, Pueblo, who won our region last year and Metro State, who won 18 games last year. That's how we start the year.
 
"Then you look at St. Edward's and St. Mary's, two very strong Heartland Conference schools who did well last year and will do well again this year. We are really going to get battle tested in our preseason before the Lone Star Conference. And hopefully, those game translate to us being prepared for the Lone Star Conference and for a Lone Star Conference championship run. I'm excited about the schedule. It is very challenging but I look forward to it with the group of girls that we have this year."
 
The Lions begin with three games on their home floor to start the season, including opening the season with the inaugural 1525 Memorial Tournament. This is the first time in Burton's tenure that the Lions have started the season at home. The Lions finished 11-2 at home last season and have won 74 percent of their home games during Burton's time as coach. With three high-level teams coming into town, Burton knows this is an important stretch of the season and knows the support of the fans will be crucial.
 
"Our fans are great," he said. "They have been great all year with other sports and have been great with us in the three years I have been here. I look forward to bigger and better game atmospheres this year."