COMMERCE – The Texas A&M University-Commerce men's basketball team rebounded from an earlier loss with a 77-61 victory over the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith on Sunday afternoon in the Field House.
 
With the win, A&M-Commerce splits the season series with UAFS and is now 3-3 overall at 2-2 in the Lone Star Conference, while UAFS is now 2-4 overall and 2-4 in league play.

A&M-Commerce returns to the hardwood on Friday and Saturday (January 22 and 23) with back-to-back home games against UT Tyler.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- The Lions used a hot shooting first half to build up an insurmountable 16-point halftime lead. A&M-Commerce shot 50 percent (15-of-30) in the first half.
- Demarcus Demonia (Fort Washington, Md.) led A&M-Commerce with 21 points, five rebounds, three assists, and three steals.
- Augustine Ene (Carrollton – Creekview) scored 16 points with five rebounds and Alex Peavy (Smithson Valley) netted 10 points with six boards.
- Devin Bethely (Baton Rouge, La.) passed out six assists. Bethely and Carius Key (Irving – MacArthur) each swiped four steals.
- The Lions picked up the win in the 100^th career game for head coach Jaret von Rosenberg.
 
HEAD COACH JARET von ROSENBERG AFTER THE GAME

 
HIGHLIGHTS


HOW IT HAPPENED
After conceding an early three-point play, A&M-Commerce rattled off seven straight points on a Demonia dunk, a pair of Ene free throws, and a Peavy triple. UAFS stayed within arms' reach for the next eight minutes, before A&M-Commerce hit the gas.
 
At the midpoint of the first half, the hosts led by four, but then went on a 14-2 run to pull away. Demonia netted six points, Ene scored five, and Bethely hit a three-pointer to put A&M-Commerce up 35-19 with 6:30 to play in the first half.
 
The scoring flurry calmed down, but TAMUC hit a pair of three-pointers in the final minute to take a 43-27 halftime lead. Seven of A&M-Commerce's 15 made field goals in the half were three-pointers.
 
The second half started with A&M-Commerce stretching the lead to 20 points in the first two and a half minutes, as Demonia's dunk at the 17:31 mark made it a 49-29 lead.
 
UAFS did not let A&M-Commerce run away with the game, as the lead did not stretch to more than 22 down the stretch. Payton Brown scored 11 of UAFS' last 13 points in the final five minutes, but A&M-Commerce's lead was never threatened in the rousing home win.