COMMERCE – For the first time in program history, the Texas A&M University-Commerce women's basketball team reached the 100-point mark for the third time in a season. The downed the Midwestern State Mustangs, 100-68, on Sunday afternoon in the Field House.
 
The Lions have reached the century mark nine times in program history. This season marks the first time that three 100-point games came in the same season. The Lions have scored 100 points or more against the Mustangs three times.
 
Sunday's game was a makeup game of the game originally scheduled for December 31, 2021, but was postponed due to COVID-19 protocols. The Lions have won two in a row and improve to 4-2 in Lone Star Conference play and 15-2 overall. The 15 wins surpass last season's 14 during the shortened season. The Mustangs fall to 9-7 overall and 3-3 in conference games.
 
Despite shooting 3 for 4 from the field to start the game, the Lions had four turnovers in the first five minutes of the game and trailed 11-8. The Lions outscored the Mustangs by eight points for the rest of the first quarter and took a 22-17 lead.
 
A&M-Commerce outshot the Mustangs, 67 percent to 43 percent in the first quarter. Dyani Robinson (Langham Creek) had six points in the first quarter, while Asiyha Smith (Conway, Ark.) and Dorian Norris (Lake Dallas) had five each.
 
Between the end of the first quarter and the beginning of the second, the Lions went on a 11-2 run after trailing 18-17. Midwestern State did not have a lead after the 1:13 mark of the first quarter, when it had the 18-17 lead.
 
The Lions scored seven of the last nine points of the first half and led 43-32 at the break.
 
Robinson shot 5 for 8 in the first half for 10 points, also led the team with three assists. Smith shot 2 for 2 from the line and 2 for 2 from beyond-the-arc for eight points and two rebounds.
 
DesiRay Kernal (Newton, Kan.) made all three of her field goal attempts, including two three pointers for eight points in the first 20 minutes. Juliana Louis (Long Beach, Calif.) grabbed four rebounds in the first half.
 
The Lions outrebounded the Mustangs, 20-12 and outshot them, 53.6 percent to 44.4 percent in the first half.
 
Robinson nearly outscored the Mustangs on her own in the third quarter. She had 10 points, while the Mustangs scored 14 on a field goal percentage of .316. Chania Wright (DeSoto) had eight points in the third quarter, shooting 3 for 5.
 
The Lions played 14 players in the fourth quarter. Ashley Shipley (Tucumcari, N.M.) scored six points in the quarter, including the final two points at the free throw line, which gave the Lions 100 points. Smith and Olivia Russell (Auburn Hills, Mich.) tallied five points in the quarter as well.
 
Midwestern State's Hannah Reynolds led the team in scoring with 14 and rebounding with five. The Mustangs shot 39.4 percent from the field, but made seven of their 17 three point attempts.
 
Robinson finished the day with 22 points, shooting 10 for 14. She also totaled six rebounds, five assists, and a steal. Kernal tallied 13 points, six rebounds, a steal, and a block. She had career-best three made three pointers.
 
Four of the five starters reached double digits for the Lions, while Louis had six rebounds. Smith made three three pointers and scored 15 points. She also recorded four rebounds, three assists, two steals, and a block. Wright scored 12 points, dished out three assists, and had two steals.
 
The Lion bench scored 38 points, with seven players scoring at least one point. Laila Lawrence (Lewisville) shot 4 for 8 from the field for 10 points, also totaling two rebounds. Norris had nine points, four rebounds, and two steals.
 
Mia Deck (Frisco – Lone Star) battled foul trouble, but totaled four rebounds, three assists, a steal, and a point. Symmone James (McKinney – Boyd) scored three points, while Jordyn Beaty (Woodville) totaled four points, six rebounds, and two assists. Russell also had five rebounds with her five points.
 
A&M-Commerce finished the game shooting 53.8 percent from the field, 43.8 percent from the distance, and 76.7 percent from the line.


POSTGAME INTERVIEW
 
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The Lions are home for two games this week, hosting Texas A&M-Kingsville on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. and Texas A&M International on Saturday at 2 p.m.