COMMERCE – Entering the day with the second-ranked total defense in NCAA Division II, the Texas A&M University-Commerce football certainly proved that those numbers were not a lie as they shutout UT Permain Basin, who had the same Lone Star Conference record as A&M-Commerce coming into Memorial Stadium on Saturday by a score of 41-0.
 
The Lions put up their second straight shutout at home and their defense has allowed just 16 points in their last five games. On Saturday, the Lion defense held UTPB to 167 yards of total offense, forcing five turnovers, and recording seven sacks.
 
Every game is crucial for the Lions in their push for the NCAA Division II Playoffs and they now hold an overall record of 6-3 with two games to go. They sit in sole possession of second place in the LSC with a record of 4-1. The loss drops UTPB to a record of 5-3 overall and 3-2 in LSC play.
 
The Lion defense entered this week with the fourth best passing defense, averaging 118.8 yards per game, 16^th best rushing defense with an average of 90.1 yards, second best total defense, allowing 208.9 yards per game, and the seventh best scoring defense, with an average of 13.1 points per game allowed, in NCAA Division II.
 
They allowed below their average in all but one of those categories on Saturday. UTPB had 120 passing yards, 47 yards rushing for a total of 167 yards, while scoring no points.
 
Both defenses started out in the front in this one as neither team scored in the first quarter. The Lions got their first points of the evening on the first play of the second quarter via a four-yard touchdown run by Carandal Hale (Greenville).
 
J.T. Smith (Klein Oak) doubled the lead in the second quarter with an 11-yard touchdown rush. Smith took the direct snap and ran left for six points.
 
On the second play from scrimmage on the next UTPB drive, Daryion Taylor (Humble – Atascocita) intercepted a pass from the Falcons' Clayton Roberts and returned it for 17 yards, just outside the red zone.
 
Andrew Armstrong (Dallas – Bishop Dunne) caught a 28-yard touchdown pass from Miklo Smalls (Plano East) on the first play after the interception to give the Lions a 21-0 lead at halftime.
 
The Lion defense allowed a total of 29 yards in the second quarter and just 55 in the first half.
 
Starting the second half with the ball, the Lions made it 24-0 on a 34-yard field goal by Jake Viquez (Rockwall), who also kicked in a 42-yard field goal in the quarter. Viquez went 2 for 3 in field goal attempts in the game, missing from 52 yards in the fourth quarter.
 
Darius Williams (Fort Worth – Arlington Heights) picked off Clayton Roberts, who had three interceptions in the game, and returned it for a 25-yard touchdown, but it was brought back due to a penalty.
 
Armstrong and Smalls made sure that the Lions did not have a long wait for the touchdown as they connected for a 25-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the drive. Smalls threw for 138 yards on 12 for 21 passing and had the two touchdowns to Armstrong, he also had an interception.
 
Becoming Smalls' favorite target near the endzone, Armstrong had 81 yards on four catches and two touchdowns. He has caught three touchdowns in the last two home games.
 
The Falcons went for it on fourth down on their next drive but failed to convert, and gave the ball to the Lions in their own territory.
 
Getting great field position, the Lions failed to capitalize and turned it over on an interception thrown by Smalls to Nygel King.
 
Putting together its best drive of the day, the Falcons marched down the field and had a chance to score with first and goal at the eight-yard line.
 
On first down, Roberts threw a pass to the left corner, which was intercepted by Alex Shillow (Pflugerville), about three yards in the end zone, and the senior defensive back had a clear look at the other end zone.
 
Shillow returned the interception for a 100-yard touchdown, tying the NCAA and program record for the longest play. The 100-yard interception return for touchdown was 14^th in Lone Star Conference history, 65^th in NCAA Division II history and just the third in NCAA Division II this year.
 
That play matched Cory Whitfield's 100-yard interception return for touchdown, which came in 2011 against Texas A&M-Kingsville.
 
Towards the end of the game, Kyevon Rider (Whitehouse) also had an interception, his coming against the Falcons' backup quarterback, Suddin Sapien.
 
Celestin Haba (Columbia, S.C.) had the other takeaway for the Lions, a sack fumble that was recovered by Brenden Young (Little Rock, Ark.).
 
Shillow led the team with six tackles, including one for a loss.
 
In the game, the Lions sacked the Falcons seven times. Dominion Ezinwa (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) and Haba had 1.5 each, Jaylon Hodge (Houston – Fort Bend Travis) and Clifford Funderburk (North Forney) had one each, while Ben Hutch (Old Hickory, Tenn.), Anthony Hayes (Panama City, Fla.), Devin Beamon (North Forney), and Champ Mathis (DeSoto) had 0.5 each.
 
Playing as a linebacker throughout the season thus far, Jemal Williams (Inglewood, Calif.) lined up as a running back on Saturday and had 34 yards on five carries, his longest run was 23 yards. Koby Leavatts (Cy Falls) led the team with 59 yards on seven rushes, his longest carry was 36 yards.



POSTGAME INTERVIEW
 
UP NEXT
The Lions hit the road one last time in the regular season next week at Angelo State, who is ranked No. 5 in the latest NCAA Division II Super Region IV rankings. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Saturday, November 6 against the Rams.