COMMERCE– The Texas A&M University-Commerce women's basketball team will host its final two home games of the season this week. The Lions face Eastern New Mexico on Thursday and West Texas A&M on Saturday.
 
Eastern New Mexico – Merchants Night
WHO: Texas A&M-Commerce (16-8, 11-5 LSC) vs. Eastern New Mexico (18-6, 13-3 LSC)
WHERE: The Field House in Commerce, Texas
WHEN: Thursday, Feb. 21 at 5:30 p.m.
LIVE STATS: Click HERE
LIVE VIDEO: lionathletics.com/live
LIVE AUDIO: ketr.org
TICKETS: Click HERE
 
No. 17 West Texas A&M – Communiversity and Senior Day
WHO: Texas A&M-Commerce vs. No. 17 West Texas A&M (21-3, 13-3 LSC)
WHERE: The Field House in Commerce, Texas
WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 23 at 2 p.m.
LIVE STATS: Click HERE
LIVE VIDEO: lionathletics.com/live
LIVE AUDIO: ketr.org
TICKETS: Click HERE
 
The Lions are coming off of a split road week. They fell to Tarleton State on Tuesday before defeating Texas Woman's on Thursday. Head coach Jason Burton liked how his team bounced back after a difficult loss on Tuesday to get a good road win on Thursday.
 
"I thought we played well six out of eight quarters," he said. "We jumped out of the gate against Tarleton and played well in the first quarter. Then second and third quarter, we did a poor job of taking care of the basketball. That affected the other end of the floor as well. Then in the fourth quarter, we woke up and decided to play. We were down 19 and went on a 10-0 run to start the quarter. We put ourselves in position to win the game. Against good teams, especially on the road, you can't have quarters like we had in the second and third quarter. But I do think we turned it around against TWU. We came out and played a complete game from start to finish."

The Lions now face West Texas A&M and Eastern New Mexico. Both teams enter the week tied for first place in the conference. Burton and his squad are still fighting for seeding in the LSC Tournament and know this is a crucial home stand.

"It shows you how tough this conference is," he said. "If we go 2-0 at home and Tarleton goes 2-0, you are looking at four teams tied for second place. That is how good our conference is. We have been really good at the Field House. We have shot the ball really well at home. Our energy has been better at home. We have to do those things this week.  We are going to have to attack the zone. We have to be affective against the zone, get the ball to the paint and get to the free throw line. Defensively, we have to be aggressive. We have to force turnovers early and set the tempo. When we rebound and guard and force turnovers and then attack the paint, we have success. That's what we have to do this week."

Saturday is Senior Day and Burton praised the two seniors on his team. The duo of Ekaterina Zhibareva and Princess Davis will play their final games at the Field House.
 
"Kate has come in and done a tremendous job," Burton said. "With being an international player, with being someone who has played at the Division I level, she came in from day one and infected this place with her energy, her smile, her hard work. She is the perfect example of hard work and what it means to really be dedicated to something. She has been dedicated to winning. That's the reason that she came here. She wanted to win in her senior year. We have some unfinished business that we need to take care of. But she has been great since she's been here."

Burton also reflected on the legacy of his senior point guard.
 
"Princess Davis, what can you say about her legacy?," he said. "She has been a staple for me since I've been here. She has been our point guard for four and change years. What she has meant to this program, both on and off the floor, I can't say enough about her. To be the all-time leader in games started, in minutes played and to have the all-time leader in assists. And she is going to be top three in scoring this week. That's special. If you look at our program the last five years, there has never been a stretch where you have had five .500 or better seasons in a row. She has been on that roster all five years. That tells you right there that she's a winner. She's a winner on and off the floor. I think whatever she does in life, she will be tremendous at it. Her personality is infectious and that is the type of student-athletes that we want to have here."