It was a postseason run whose results hung on the very edge. One more opponent's shot going in; one more bounce going the other way; one less free throw drops; one fewer hustle plays. The narrative could have been different. But for the 2006-07 Texas A&M-Commerce women's basketball team, fate smiled upon the team that went on to win the South Central Regional Championship, with an average win margin of 2.0 points per contest during the tournament.
 
The tournament had everything a sports fan could want: buzzer beaters, last second comebacks, the result of the contest always being in doubt, lower seeds causing havoc on the bracket. Yet the perfect combination came together to bring the Lion women's basketball team their first LSC Championship and their first South Central Regional Championship. It was a Cinderella story at its finest for the blue and gold clad 'Cats.
 
The team was captained by three future Lion Hall of Famers. The skipper was Denny Downing, in his fifth season as head coach. It was an uphill battle for Downing, as he inherited a team who had not had a winning record in five seasons. Turning the squad around would be no easy task, as he went 6-21 in his debut season, and 25-57 over his first three seasons as coach.
 
Cue the debut of Kanani Marshal, the sharp-shooting junior college All-American at Odessa Junior College. Marshal helped turn around the Lions' fortunes, as the 2005-06 team would go on to have its first winning season in nearly a decade. Marshal was both a dead-eye from three (ranking fourth in the nation in threes made per game) as well as a fine distributor and scorer, ranking sixth in the LSC in both assists and scoring, earning Second Team All-LSC honors as a junior.
 
The final piece of the puzzle was Britney Jordan, the sophomore transfer from Temple and former McDonald's High School All-American, who joined the team to start the 2006-07 season. Mix in former Freshman of the Year Katedria Mosley, Tradawn Short, Dominee Evans,  and a slew of other contributors, and it was a recipe for success. Although, early season-results may not have led outsiders to believe this team had the stuff.
 
The team started the season 5-2, but then lost four games in a row, falling below .500 nearing the New Year. The final loss was at the Field House, the only time that season the Lion fans would see their team leave the floor as the conquered foe.
 
Beginning on Dec. 9, the team would begin a seven-game winning streak, topping the 70-point mark in each contest, reaching the 12-6 mark. The Lions then entered their divisional season, and suffered a defeat in their first divisional contest. The Lions would then go on to win 10 of their next 11 games, finishing the regular season with a 22-8 mark, and a 10-2 record in the LSC North Division, winning their first Divisional Championship. Kanani Marshal was named the LSC North Division Player of the Year, while Britney Jordan was named Newcomer of the Year and Denny Downing was named the LSC Coach of the Year.
 
The team would then go on to host the LSC Championship Tournament as the number one seed. The Lions knocked off Tarleton by 20 points, before defeating Angelo State by six points in the semifinal round to reach the championship game for the first time in program history. Fueled by their home crowd, the Lions defeated West Texas A&M 81-71 to claim the first LSC Championship in program history. Jordan was named the Tournament MVP. Earning the automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament, the Lions reached the South Central Regional Tournament for the first time in their history, and what a run they had.
 
As the fourth seed, the Lions drew the fifth seed Emporia State in the first round of the tournament. It was a back-and-forth battle throughout the game, with four ties and four lead changes. The Lions eventually led by 10 points in the second half and held off a late ESU surge to win the game 81-77. The duo of Marshal and Jordan combined for 48, as Marshal had 27 points with five three-pointers, while Jordan had 21 points and six assists.
 
The Lions would go on to face the tournament host and first seed Missouri Western State in the semifinal round. After trailing 41-31 at the half, the Lions surged behind their three leaders. Marshal became the NCAA's single-season leader in three pointers in the season, scoring 19 points, while Jordan also had 19 points and Katedria Mosley led the team with 20 points, none bigger than her final two. Trailing by one point with five seconds left, Jordan took the ball the length of the court and rushed into the lane. Defenders collapsed to prevent her from shooting, and she found a wide-open Mosley, who hit the layup as the buzzer sounded, giving A&M-Commerce the 73-72 win, and advancing them to the Regional Championship against third-seed Washburn.
 
"We have great players on our team," said Jordan after the semifinal game. "We play our game and we are in it to win it."
 
The Regional Championship was no less drama filled, with seven ties and six lead changes in the contest. The contest looked well in hand at halftime, with A&M-Commerce leading by 13 points. However, Washburn battled back and regained the lead midway through the second half. The lead changed hands several times once again before the Lions took the lead for good at the three-minute mark. The finish was full of tension, as the Lions were forced to make free throws. Leading by three points with four seconds left, the Lions decided to foul. Washburn's player made the first free throw, but missed the second. However, an offensive rebound put back drew another foul call, allowing Washburn the chance to tie the game with two makes. Amanda Holmes made the first free throw, but missed the second and Dawn Montgomery was sure to grab the rebound this time, giving the Lions the 71-70 victory, and the South Central Regional Championship trophy. Britney Jordan was named the South Central Regional Tournament Most Valuable Player.
 
Entering the Elite 8 round, the Lions were paired against Clayton State in Kearney, Neb. Shooting struggles plagued the Lions in the game, as they shot just 4-of-30 from three and shot just 32 percent in the game. Tradawn Short led the team with 18 points, but Jordan and Marshal combined for just eight made baskets in their 35 shot attempts. Despite this, the teams battled back and forth throughout the game, with eight ties and nine lead changes. The Lions held their final lead at the five minute mark, before Clayton State took the lead for good, defeating A&M-Commerce 60-55.
 
Marshal made team history later on by being named a Third Team All-American, the first All-American in program history.
 
The 2006-07 team ended up breaking 40 school records many of which still stand today. Those include most games played (37), most field goals made (1,006), field goal percentage (.447), three-pointers made (247), three-point percentage (.367) and steals (424).