LUBBOCK– The Texas A&M University-Commerce women's basketball team lost a heartbreaking 77-68 overtime game against Colorado State-Pueblo on Friday to open the 2018-19 season. The teams went back and forth all game before the Thunderwolves pulled away in overtime.
 
The Lions are now 0-1 on the season while CSU-Pueblo is now 1-0.
 
The Lions return to the court on Saturday for a 5 p.m. matchup against Metro State. The game will be played at the Rip Griffin Center in Lubbock.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Ekaterina Zhibareva (Liske, Russia) led the team with 14 points, shooting 5-of-8 from the field. She also had a team-high five rebounds.
- Princess Davis (Shreveport, La.) scored 12 points and had two assists and four rebounds.
- Alexus Jones (Lewisville - Aledo) added 10 points while Tahnia McDaniel (Arlington - Euless Trinity) had nine points.
- CSU-Pueblo shot 51 percent from the field in the game while the Lions shot 39 percent.
- The Lions got to the free throw line 25 times, shooting 68 percent from the foul line. CSU-Pueblo shot 15-of-17 from the free throw line.
- There were 28 ties and 11 lead changes in the game.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
After the Lions scored the first two points of the game, the Thunderwolves answered back with seven points in a row to take a lead. The Lions then started to feed Zhibareva in the paint, where she scored three consecutive baskets to help the Lions climb back in. It was part of a 7-0 run for the Lions that gave them the lead. CSUP scored the final four points of the quarter to take a 13-11 lead into the second period.
 
Both teams had hot hands to start the second quarter as the lead changed hands multiple times. Midway through the quarter, the game was tied at 23. The Thunderwolves then hit consecutive jumpers to take the lead. CSUP took a 31-28 lead into the half.
 
The Lions shot 43 percent in the first half while CSUP shot 56 percent. The Thunderwolves shot 82 percent in the second quarter while the Lions shot 50 percent. A&M-Commerce got to the foul line 10 times in the first half, attacking the basket multiple times.
 
The Thunderwolves pushed their lead to seven points early in the third quarter before the Lions stormed back. Davis scored multiple baskets and the Lion defense caused several CSUP turnovers. Davis gave the Lions the lead with four minutes to play in the quarter. The teams continued to battle and the Lions continued to attack the paint. Maddison Glass converted a three-point play and so did Davis, giving the Lions a 48-45 lead headed into the final quarter. Davis scored 10 points in the third to lead A&M-Commerce.
 
An early basket from Zhibareva pushed the Lion lead to five points, their largest of the game. After the teams traded buckets, CSUP went on a 6-1 run to tie the game at 53 at the midway mark. After a Lion bucket gave A&M-Commerce the lead, both teams went scoreless for a stretch before CSUP tied the game. Another Lion bucket was followed by two quick baskets from the Thunderwolves to give them a 59-57 lead with less than two minutes to play. Both teams found success from the foul line and the Lions had one opportunity left with the game tied at 61. Davis had a good shot but could not find the mark and the game went into overtime.
 
The teams traded baskets early in the overtime period before the Thunderwolves pulled away. The Lion shooting touch went cold in the overtime period while CSUP shot a blazing percentage, missing just one shot in extra time. The final score was 77-68.