COMMERCE– The Texas A&M University-Commerce men's basketball team defeated Texas A&M-Kingsville 73-68 on Saturday afternoon. The teams traded leads throughout the first half before the Lions pulled ahead and battled to get the win.
 
The win brings the Lions to 7-2 on the season and 2-0 in the Lone Star Conference. The Javelinas fall to 3-4 and 0-2 in conference play.
 
The Lions return to action on Monday against Central Baptist. The game will be played at 7 p.m. at the Field House. Tickets for the game are available at WeAreLionsTix.com, by calling (903) 468-8756 or by visiting the Lion Sales & Service Box Office in the Field House. Admission to the game is $2 with the donation of a holiday toy, which goes to support Commerce Lil' Angels.
 
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- After a back and forth first half which had six lead changes and four ties, the Lions took the lead late in the half and never trailed in the second half.
- Reggie Reid (Harlem, Ga.) led the Lions with 18 points, 12 of which came in the first half. He also led the team with five assists and five steals.
- Deonta Terrell (Chicago, Ill.) had 16 points while Tyree Robinson (Rall River, Mass.) had a double-double with 13 points and a team-high 12 rebounds.
- The Lions shot 40 free throws in the game, 26 of which came in the second half.
 
COACH VON ROSENBERG AFTER THE GAME
On the win: "It was an ugly Lone Star Conference battle. Both teams did a good job defensively of making it tough on the other team. We were able to get to the foul line and make enough plays. We rebounded better in the second half and I think that ended up being the difference."
 
On the team's free throw shooting: "We shot the ball well from the line, almost 80 percent. We didn't really shoot the ball well from anywhere else, but it was good to get that category taken care of."
 
On taking care of home court early in conference play: "In the Lone Star Conference, you have to take care of home court and we did just enough both nights to do that. We are going to continue to try and get better every time we step on the floor."
 
On second half adjustments: "We did a better job of taking care of the ball, getting into the paint and then making the right decision. We didn't just shoot shots because it was one guy's turn. That was a gritty win from our guys. With Coach Estelle, they play harder than anybody we have played this year. We knew that coming in."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Lions scored five of the first seven points of the game, including a three from Reid. The Lions pushed their lead to six points after five minutes of play. The teams continued to trade baskets before the Javelinas cut the Lion lead down and took the lead at the nine-minute mark.
 
The lead then started to trade hands multiple times, with neither team being able to pull away. The Javelinas built a four-point lead with four minutes to play before A&M-Commerce rallied back. A three from Terrell gave the Lions the lead with two minutes left, a lead A&M-Commerce would not relinquish the rest of the contest. The Lions took a 37-34 lead into halftime.
 
Reid led the Lions with 12 points in the first half. Terrell had eight points and a team-high four rebounds. Both teams shot better than 40 percent in the first half.
 
The Lions brought their lead to six points in the early parts of the second half before the Javelinas cut the lead back down to just two points at the 15-minute mark. Terrell and Reid each had a basket as the Lions brought their lead back up.

The Lions got to the free throw line often in the second half and it helped them build a lead. Leading by four with 12 minutes left, the Lions went on a 10-0 run over the span of three minutes to build a 15-point lead, the largest of the contest for either team.
 
The Javelinas attempted to come back, cutting the Lion lead to five points with under a minute to play. But A&M-Commerce would not be denied and made its free throws down the stretch to get the win.