COMMERCE – The Texas A&M University-Commerce men's basketball team's run of not trailing in a game continued on Saturday afternoon in the Field House. The Lions downed the Texas A&M International Dustdevils, 86-64, having not trailed in four of their last five games.
 
With most of the Lone Star Conference at or around the midway point of conference play, the Lions sit in fourth place with a record of 6-3 in LSC games and 14-4 overall. The Dustdevils drop to 3-3 in conference play and 11-6 overall. The Lions have won all six meetings between the two teams.
 
Fourteen players were active and dressed for the Lions on Saturday. All 14 appeared in the game and logged a minimum of four minutes, 11 players scored. The Lions shot 13 for 23 from outside the three-point arc and held the Dustdevils to shoot 6 for 19 from the distance.
 
On the first possession of the game, Carson Tuttle (Mukilteo, Wash.) floated in a layup to give the Lions the lead at the 19:50 mark of the first half. The Lions led 14-0 to start the game, making their first six shots. The lead was not in single digits for the rest of the game.
 
Shooting 63 percent from the field in the first half, the Lions led 55-27 at halftime. The 55 points in the first half are most for the Lions in a half this season and match 55 points in the second half during a 102-78 win at DBU on December 19, 2019.
 
Jairus Roberson (DeSoto) made three three pointers in the first 20 minutes and knocked down two free throws as well. Demarcus Demonia (Fort Washington, Md.) scored 10 points and grabbed three rebounds. Tuttle had four assists in the first half.
 
Demonia scored a floating jump shot to give the Lions a 66-30 lead at the 16:28 mark of the second half, their largest of the game.
 
The Lions outshot the Dustdevils, 56.7 percent to 44.7 percent from the field, 56.5 percent to 31.6 percent from the distance, and 62.5 percent and 61.5 percent at the line. La-Quiem Walker scored 16 points for Texas A&M International.
 
Demonia finished the game with 18 points, five rebounds, two steals, and an assist. Tuttle tallied 11 points and six assists. Alphonso Willis (Atlanta, Ga.) led the team with eight rebounds and totaled 10 points, five assists, and a steal as well.
 
Rounding out the starting lineup, Clashon Gaffney scored eight points, dished out four assists, and grabbed two rebounds. Augustine Ene (Carrollton – Creekview) recorded eight points, three rebounds, and three assists.
 
Alex Peavy (San Antonio - Smithson Valley) finished the game with eight points, three rebounds, one assist, and one block. He shot 3 for 3 from the field, including two three pointers. Carius Key (Irving – MacArthur) had five points, while JJ Romer Rosario (Hialeah Gardens, Fla.) had three points. Khaliq Abdul-Mateen (Cy Lakes) and Emmanuel Adeoye (Richmond, Calif.) scored two points each.
 
Key had two assists and Romer Rosario had two rebounds. Demonia shot 7 for 10 from the field, Tuttle shot 4 for 4, Gaffney shot 4 for 5, and Willis shot 5 for 9 from the field.


POSTGAME INTERVIEW
 
UP NEXT
The Lions have just two more home games during the regular season. They begin a stretch of four road games in seven days on Thursday at Arkansas-Fort Smith. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m.