WACO – In its first action of the 2021-22 season, the Texas A&M University-Commerce women's basketball team fell to the Baylor Bears, 88-52, in an exhibition contest at Ferrell Center on Wednesday night. Though the Lions did outscore the Bears, 23-20 in the fourth quarter.
 
The Lions shot 41.1 percent from the field in the second half. Freshman Laila Lawrence (Lewisville) led the way with 10 points for the Lions, in her minutes of collegiate action, shooting 4 for 6 from the field and made both of her free throws.
 
A&M-Commerce continues its preseason on Monday at SMU at 7 p.m. and travels to Houston on Friday, November 5 at 6 p.m. All three matchups against NCAA Division I teams this year do not affect the season records.
 
The Bears outscored the Lions, 23-3 in the first quarter. Dorian Norris (Lake Dallas) hit a three-pointer for the only points of the quarter for A&M-Commerce.
 
Twenty-seven of the Lions' 52 points came off the bench. Symonne James (McKinney – Boyd) had six points, Asiyha Smith (Conway, Ark.) had five, while Mia Deck (Frisco – Lone Star) and Norris had three each to go along with Lawrence's 10. Fourteen Lions saw the court on Wednesday night.
 
The Lions bounced back in the second quarter, scoring 11 of the 26 points in the quarter and trailed 38-14 at halftime. A&M-Commerce hit seven three-pointers in the game.
 
Among the starters, Juliana Louis (Long Beach, Calif.) had eight points, while Chania Wright (DeSoto), Ravae Payne (Pearland), and Dyani Robinson (Cy Creek) had five each. DesiRay Kernal (Newton, Kan.) had five rebounds.
 
Coming out of halftime, the Bears led 68-29 at the end of the third quarter. The Lions started the fourth quarter on a 11-4 run through the first three minutes. Robinson and Payne hit three-pointers during the run.
 
In the final minute and 18 seconds of the game, Lawrence scored four points on a layup and two free throws, Smith hit a jumper with three seconds to go.
 
Baylor's NaLyssa Smith shot 13 for 19 from the field for 27 points. The Bears shot 43.8 percent from the field and 43.5 percent from beyond the arc.



POSTGAME INTERVIEW