CANYON – A second half surge by the No. 19 Texas A&M University-Commerce men's basketball team came up short on Thursday night against the No. 7/11 West Texas A&M Buffaloes, who won 79-69, at the First United Center.
 
The loss was the Lions' first in Lone Star Conference play and snaps a four-game winning streak. A&M-Commerce sits at 10-2 overall and 2-1 in LSC play. The Buffaloes have matched the longest winning streak in the all-time series for either team at 10 and improve to 15-2 on the season, they are also 2-1 in LSC play.
 
The Lions ended the first half by making six of their last eight field goals. They trailed by as many as 13 points in the first half, behind a 13-0 run by the Buffaloes with the game tied. A&M-Commerce trimmed the deficit to 39-32 at the half.
 
Reigning Lone Star Conference Offensive Player of the Week, Augustine Ene (Carrollton – Creekview) made five field goals in the first half, scoring 11 points. The Lions shot exactly 50 percent in the first half, while the Buffaloes shot 48 percent.
 
During a three minutes and 56 second stretch, West Texas A&M was held scoreless and the Lions, behind a 9-0 run, came within four. Alphonso Willis (Atlanta, Ga.) had four of the nine points.
 
Coming into the game as one of the best three point shooting teams in the country, the Lions made just three of their 12 attempts from outside the arc in the first half. They shot 8 for 26 in the game.
 
Carson Tuttle (Mukilteo, Wash.) scored nine points in each half. He cut the West Texas A&M lead down to 46-39 in the second half, but the defending national finalists responded with another 8-0 run and took their largest lead of the game of 15 points.
 
A layup by Rodney Brown (Beaumont – Westbrook) brought the Lions back in single digits with two minutes to go, highlighting a 5-0 run. The Lions made five straight field goal attempts to pull to within six with 48 seconds to go, but the Buffaloes made just enough free throws on the other end to secure the win by 10 points.
 
Ene was held scoreless in the second half. Willis matched him in scoring with 11 points and recorded five rebounds and two steals. Ene led the team with two assists. Demarcus Demonia (Fort Washington, Md.) had team-leading six rebounds and Clashon Gaffney had another four-block game.
 
Zach Toussiant led the Buffaloes with 20 points and Larry Wise had 19. Dalin Williams had eight rebounds off the bench, game-high for either team.
 

POSTGAME INTERVIEW

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The Lions' next game against the Cameron Aggies on Saturday has been postponed due to COVID-19 protocols. A&M-Commerce returns to action on Thursday, January 13, at 7:30 p.m. in the Field House against the No. 1 team in the land, Lubbock Christian. Prior to the game, the Lions are giving free t-shirts and free pizza, until supplies last.