ODESSA – The Texas A&M University-Commerce women's basketball team had every player score and rolled to an 88-70 victory over the University of Texas of the Permian Basin in the Falcon Dome on Thursday night.
 
With the win, A&M-Commerce moves to 18-9 overall and 13-6 in the Lone Star Conference. UT Permian Basin falls to 4-23 overall and 1-18 in the league.
 
The Lions play their final regular season game of the year at Western New Mexico on Saturday at 4 p.m. MST (5 p.m. CST).
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Princess Davis (Shreveport, La.) led four Lions in double figures with 15 points, as well as two rebounds and two assists.
- Alexus Jones (Lewisville - Aledo) scored 13 points thanks to a perfect 7-of-7 rate at the free throw line.
- Chania Wright (DeSoto) scored 12 points and grabbed five rebounds. She scored 10 points in the first quarter to help boost the Lions to an early lead.
- Alexis Bryant (Pflugerville) netted 11 points and five rebounds. Ekaterina Zhibareva (Liske, Russia) scored eight points and grabbed a team-high six rebounds.
- Mykiel Burleson (Pflugerville) scored nine points, all on three-pointers.
- The Lions shot 48.3 percent (29-of-60) and connected on over 60 percent of their shots in the first and third quarters.
- A&M-Commerce sank 23-of-27 (85.2 percent) of its free throws.
- UTPB's Kahli Pippins-Tryon scored 30 points.

HEAD COACH JASON BURTON AFTER THE GAME
- On the team's play: "I thought we came out in the first quarter hungry and after a setback in the second quarter, the halftime talk fixed some things and we jumped out in the third quarter and controlled the game the rest of the way. Everybody got a chance to play and we got to keep people fresh."
- On the team's execution: "When I look at this game, it is fun seeing this team lock into a game plan and to see them execute at a high level. We came in and did a good job against the zone. And we got back to our press. That is something that will be effective for us in the conference tournament."
- On the importance of Saturday's game: "Saturday is a big game for us. It is another regional game for us. If we can get two on the road this trip, we feel really good going into the conference tournament."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Lions shot the lights out in the first quarter and also held the Falcons off the board to help build a sizeable lead. UTPB had an early 5-2 lead before A&M-Commerce surged for a 10-0 run which included a Wright three-pointer and a Jones three-point play. An eight-point Lion rally with three-pointers by Wright and Burleson put the Lions up 20-9 with 3:22 left in the quarter.
 
Even with the double-digit lead, the Lions applied high pressure in the front court and outscored their hosts in the final three minutes by a 9-7 count. The Lions shot 61.1 percent in the quarter and held a 29-16 lead at the end of the frame.
 
The game got choppy in the second quarter, as both teams had abnormally high turnover totals. As such, the scoring rate slowed for both sides. UTPB was able to connect on long-range attempts, making 4-of-5 three-pointers. The Lions attempted only nine field goals in the period, connecting on just two, but were able to make 8-of-10 free throws, and took a 42-33 lead into the halftime locker room. The teams combined for 27 turnovers in the first half, with the Lions losing the ball 12 times to the Falcons' 15.
 
A&M-Commerce resumed its offensive dominance in the third quarter, connecting on two-thirds of its shots in the period. Zhibareva scored two straight baskets in the early going to put the Lions back up by double digits. A Davis triple and a pair of Jones free throws had the Lions ahead 50-35 with just three minutes gone in the third period. Late in the period, Burleson drained a three-pointer, followed by a Bryant layup to give the Lions their first 20-point lead at 68-47. TAMUC would take a 70-53 lead into the final period of action.
 
With the large lead, the Lions made sure the bench players contributed and kept the Falcons at a distance. A&M-Commerce was able to extend the lead to as many as 25 points in the latter stages of the contest.