COMMERCE– The Texas A&M University-Commerce men's basketball team enters the Lone Star Conference tournament as the second seed. The Lions will face seventh-seed UT Permian Basin in the first round.
 
WHO: Texas A&M-Commerce (21-7, 13-5 LSC) vs. UT Permian Basin (14-14, 7-11 LSC)
WHERE: Comerica Center in Frisco, Texas
WHEN: Thursday, Mar. 7 at 2:30 p.m.
LIVE STATS: Click HERE
LIVE VIDEO: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/lonestar
LIVE AUDIO: ketr.org
TICKETS: Click HERE
 
The Lions are coming off of a split week, with a loss to UTPB on the road followed by a win over Western New Mexico. After struggling defensively against the Falcons on Thursday, head coach Jaret von Rosenberg thought his team responded well to end the regular season on a high note entering the LSC Tournament.

"We played two totally different games last week," he said. "In one, we controlled the tempo and in the other one we didn't. UTPB had a lot to do with that. They shot the ball extremely well and made us uncomfortable on offense. When you give up 102 points, it is going to be impossible to win in this league. Then we went to Western and had a three-turnover game. I'm really happy with our guys and how they took care of the basketball. Guys took care of the basketball and we won the glass by 13. That is the recipe for success on the road."
 
The Lions now face a rematch against the Falcons. The teams split the season series, with the home team winning each time. von Rosenberg knows both teams are well aware of the other's tendencies. It will come down to which team executes its game plan the best.
 
"It is March basketball," he said. "It is the most exciting time as a player in college basketball. You want to get to March and compete at a high level. It's all about executing. Both teams will have a game plan. It's about which team can execute the game plan for longer stretches. We have to defend and rebound and control the paint if we want to have a chance to win."
 
To achieve the ultimate goal, winning three games to earn the LSC Tournament championship, von Rosenberg knows it will take locking in and executing at the team's highest level. He was a part of the Lion team that did just that during the 2014-15 season, and he is confident the team has it in it to do it again. It is all about making that potential into reality.
 
"You just have to be locked in and be playing your best basketball," he said. "You go through ups and downs in the season with injuries and adversity. But whoever can figure out how to play their best basketball this week and moving forward is going to have the best chance to win. We are very capable of doing it, but it is going to take a team effort with all the guys locked into what we are trying to do. And we have to compete at a high level on every possession. Everything is magnified when it is win-or-go-home."
 
With the tournament taking place in nearby Frisco, von Rosenberg is also confident the Lion fans will make the trip and help cheer on the team to a good showing in the tournament.
 
"I'm proud of our community and our university for what they do as far as supporting us," he said. "I know we will have a great showing. We need everybody to come out to Frisco, following the men's and women's teams. We will do our best to win games and try and bring home an LSC Championship."