COMMERCE – The No. 7/10 ranked Texas A&M-Commerce women's basketball team handed the Texas A&M-Kingsville Javelinas their first loss in Lone Star Conference play with an 81-71 win at the Field House on Thursday evening.
 
Dyani Robinson (Langham Creek), Chania Wright (DeSoto), and Asiyha Smith (Conway, Ark.) combined to shoot 16 for 22 from the field for a total of 34 points. The Lions improve to 5-2 in conference play and 16-2 overall, while the Javelinas drop to 6-1 in conference games and 13-5 overall.
 
The Javelinas scored the first points of the game, the only lead they had. The Lions scored the next nine points, including five from Robinson. A&M-Commerce's smallest lead from that point was two points.
 
Robinson totaled five rebounds and two assists to go along with her 15 points. She shot 5 for 8 from the line and 2 for 3 from beyond-the-arc. DesiRay Kernal (Newton, Kan.) also recorded five rebounds. She scored six points and recorded two assists and a steal.
 
A&M-Commerce outshot the Javelinas, 52 percent to 32 percent in the first half and led 36-26 at the break. Robinson and Smith had eight points each in the half. Smith shot a perfect 5 for 5 from the field in the game for her 12 points. She tallied two rebounds and an assist as well.
 
Wright shot 4 for 4 from the field in the second half for 11 points. She finished the game with 15 points, four rebounds, season-best five steals, and two assists. Juliana Louis (Long Beach, Calif.) totaled seven points in the second half, she had nine in the game. Louis also totaled four rebounds, two blocks, and an assist.
 
The Javelinas tied the Lions with 45 points each in the second half. Both teams scored 22 and 23 points each in the third and fourth quarters, respectively. Both teams also shot 17 for 30 each in the second half. Texas A&M-Kingsville's Brianna Pena led both teams with 20 points, while Anastacia Mickens had game-high six rebounds.
 
Laila Lawrence (Lewisville) shot 4 for 8 from the field, including her first career three pointer to total 11 points. Coming off the bench, Lawrence tallied three rebounds and a steal as well. Dorian Norris (Lake Dallas) and Mia Deck (Frisco – Lone Star) had four points each. Symmone James (McKinney – Boyd) added three points. Norris led the team with three assists, while also recording four rebounds and two steals.
 
James and Jordyn Beaty (Woodville) recorded two rebounds each. The Lion bench outscored the Javelinas, 22-14. As a team, the Lions outshot the Javelinas, 54 percent to 46 percent, in the game. A&M-Commerce shot 4 for 7 from the distance and 15 for 25 at the line.
 
All but one team ahead of the Lions in the Lone Star Conference standings coming into Thursday suffered a loss on Thursday night, including all three remaining undefeated teams.


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A&M-Commerce remains home to face Texas A&M International on Saturday at 2 p.m.