CANYON– The Texas A&M University-Commerce women's basketball team defeated No. 8 West Texas A&M 59-55 on Saturday. The Lions and Lady Buffs fought back-and-forth throughout the entire game, with the Lions pulling ahead in the final minutes to get the win.
 
With the win, the Lions improve to 12-5 on the season and 9-1 in the Lone Star Conference. Midway through the LSC season, the Lions are in first place with a two-game lead over the rest of the league. WT falls to 15-3 on the year and 7-3 in conference play. The Lions have won eight LSC games in a row.
 
The Lions return home for a non-conference matchup against Dallas Christian on Monday. That game will be played at 5:30 p.m. at the Field House in Commerce.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- The win is the first for the Lions in Canyon since Jan. 22, 2005.
- The Lions have won six games in a row, the longest streak under head coach Jason Burton. The team has also won eight conference games in a row, a program record.
- Brianna Wise led the Lions with 15 points. She was a clutch shooter from the foul line late in the game, helping to seal the win for the Lions. She was a perfect 6-of-6 from the foul line.
- Jenna Price had 14 points, scoring 11 points in the first half. She went 6-of-10 from the field and also pulled in a team-high five rebounds.
-Princess Davis scored nine points and had four assists. Melanie Ransom added seven points and a team-high six assists.
Jocelyn Pierce scored a career-high six points. Alex Nance added five points and Lauren Parker led the team with three steals.
- WT had 27 turnovers in the game that led to 21 Lion points. The Lions had just eight turnovers in the game.
- The Lions shot 24 more times than the Lady Buffs, pulling in 11 offensive rebounds along with WT's turnovers.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Lions got off to a strong start, with Price making two early buckets to give the Lions a 4-0 lead. The Lion defense also started well, holding WT to just one basket in their first four tries. The Lady Buffs got to the free throw line early in the quarter however and the Lions held a 7-6 lead midway through the first quarter.
 
Pierce scored a strong bucket in the paint as the Lions brought their lead back up to three. The Lions were strong on the offensive glass, pulling down four offensive rebounds in the first quarter. Wise scored a contested basket in the paint late in the period as the Lions took a 12-10 lead into the second quarter.
 
The Lions outshot WT 17-7 in the first quarter. The Lions had four offensive rebounds in the first quarter and scored four points off of six WT turnovers. The Lions held WT to just 29 percent shooting in the quarter.
 
Wise hit a three to start the second quarter as the Lions built their lead to five points. After a WT basket, Price again found herself open near the bucket and knocked in consecutive shots to give A&M-Commerce a 19-12 lead with 7:41 remaining in the half.
 
The Lions had consecutive turnovers that the Lady Buffs turned into points, stemming the Lion run and getting WT back into the game. The Lady Buffs started to catch fire from the floor, making six baskets in a row to cut the Lion lead to just one point with under three minutes to play.
 
Both teams went scoreless for the final two and a half minutes and the Lions took a 26-25 lead into halftime. Price led the team with 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting. Wise had five points and Pierce had four. The Lions missed their last seven shots of the half. The Lion defense was strong in the first half, causing 14 WT turnovers, which led to 12 points. The Lady Buffs got to the foul line 10 times in the first half, converting eight tries.
 
WT scored consecutive threes to start the third quarter, taking their first lead of the game. The Lions scored consecutive buckets of their own in response, keeping the score within reach.
 
The Lion defense held the Lady Buffs without a field goal for more than three minute as they climbed back into the game. Pierce converted a bucket in the paint and so did Courtney Fields. With 4:48 left in the third quarter, the Lions trailed 35-34.
 
Fields' basket started a 7-0 run for the Lions. Price hit a three pointer to give the Lions back the lead. Davis then had a circus shot go in on a fast break, banking the ball in off the glass. A late bucket by WT sent the Lions into the fourth quarter with a 39-38 lead.
 
Ransom hit a three to open up the fourth quarter as the Lions again led by four. WT answered back with a three of their own as they regained the lead. The Lions then started a run, scoring multiple buckets in the paint. Nance converted a three-point play and Wise also hit a shot in the lane. A bucket from Ransom completed the 9-0 run. The Lions led 51-43 with five minutes to play.
 
WT went on a 6-0 run over the next minute to close the gap to just two points. WT got into foul trouble from then on in the game and the Lions took advantage. Wise got to the line and sunk two to give the Lions a four-point lead once again.
 
Both teams went cold from the field for the next two minutes before a basket from WT cut the Lion lead to two points with a minute to play. After a missed Lion basket, WT turned the ball over as Price drew a charge in the lane. With just 17 seconds left in the game, the Lady Buffs were forced to foul to extend the game.
 
The Lions were up to the task. Wise hit four free throws and Davis hit two more. WT ran out of time to get back into the game and the Lions pulled off the upset.