COMMERCE - The No. 18 Texas A&M University-Commerce men's basketball team defeated Midwestern State 91-88 in overtime on Thursday night in front of a crowded Field House as the team began its second cycle of conference play.

The Lions improve to 16-3 on the season while the Mustangs fall to 6-13. The win gives the Lions the regular season sweep over the Mustangs after A&M-Commerce won the previous matchup 95-77 in Wichita Falls on Dec. 2.

The next game for the Lions will be on Saturday against Cameron, a team they defeated by a single point in late November. Tip-off will be at 4 p.m. from the Field House for Alumni Day.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- This Lions have yet to lose an overtime game this year. Their first was a 70-61 win over Oklahoma Christian to start the season.
- The game featured five ties and 11 lead changes.
- The Lions have scored over 90 points in back-to-back games.
- Reggie Reid, Joseph Williams-Powell, and Willie Rooks all scored in double figures for the Lions.
- Reid led all scorers with 29 points, including a dramatic contested three-pointer with 0.6 seconds remaining in regulation to send the game to overtime.
- Williams-Powell scored 16 points with seven rebounds, including five offensive boards. Rooks netted 16 points with three steals, three rebounds, and two blocks
- The Lion bench outscored the Mustangs' bench 22-11.

HOW IT HAPPENED  
The Lions fell behind early following a 9-0 run by Midwestern State to begin the game. The early run was snapped when Rooks knocked down a three-pointer to give the Lions their first points of the game. A&M- Commerce would not grab their first lead of the game until seven minutes into the game when senior forward Dorian Armstrong hit his first three-pointer of the game.

The rest of the first half was a back-and-forth contest, with the Lions leading 41-36 at the break. Both teams had near identical shooting percentages from the floor and behind the arc while Rooks led all scorers at halftime with 13 points.

Forward Aaron Horne hit one of A&M-Commerce's 13 triples to start the second half but the Mustangs continued to battle back, eventually narrowing the Lion lead to one point in the early minutes of the period. Williams-Powell added a spark to the Lions' offense but it would remain a one possession game throughout much of the second half.

The Mustangs tied the game at 59-all with about 10 minutes left, when Reid knocked down a three-pointer to regain the advantage. At times, the Lions found themselves trailing by a point but would quickly retake the lead following their next possession.

Midwestern State made its free throws down the stretch to push the Mustangs' lead to 79-76 in the closing seconds of regulation. The biggest shot of the night came when Reid banked in a desperation shot for three of his 29 points, tying the score at 79 apiece with 0.6 seconds left on the clock.

In overtime, Reid got the scoring started with a jumper in the paint and Rooks would knock down another three pointer to quickly give the Lions a five-point lead. Keeping with the trend of the night, Midwestern State battled back, forcing A&M-Commerce to make its free throws at the end.

The Lions recorded their nineteenth takeaway of night and dribbled out the clock to preserve a hard fought 91-88 win.