ARLINGTON – A last-second three pointer for the Texas A&M University-Commerce women's basketball team came up short on Saturday afternoon and the UT-Arlington Lady Mavs prevailed with a 75-72 win at the College Park Center.
 
The Lions had a 72-71 lead with 36 seconds left in the game thanks to two clutch free throws from Asiyha Smith (Conway, Ark.). The Lady Mavs' Shyia Smith knocked down a layup on the other end and was fouled on the play but did not convert the and-one opportunity with 16 seconds left.
 
A&M-Commerce missed a go-ahead jumper with 10 seconds left and UTA made both free throws following the intentional foul to lead by three. The Lions had a chance to tie the game with a three pointer with a second left, but it went off the backboard.
 
The loss is the first for the Lions this season, who fall to 1-1 on the season, while UTA, an NCAA Tournament participant in 2021-22, improves to 2-0. The Lions had the lead for nearly 29 minutes on the road, leading by as much as 10 points. UTA never led by more than one possession in the game.
 
"Our team competed at the highest level for 40 minutes and led for 29 minutes of those," said coach Jason Buton. "We put ourselves in a great position to win the game against a really good UTA team, an extraordinary effort by our team."
 
We challenged our team to play great team defense, we did, challenged them to take charges, we did. Laila and Jada Hood ho made some huge plays, drawing charges."
 
The Lions led 17-14 after the first quarter, but neither team led by more than three points in the first 10 minutes. A&M-Commerce started the second quarter on a 7-0 run to jump out to a 24-14 lead and did not trail again in the first half, leading 36-32 at halftime.
 
UTA got its first lead since the first quarter at the 3:27 mark of the third quarter on a jumper. Dyani Robinson (Langham Creek), who had game-high 26 points, knocked down a fast break layup with 22 seconds left in the third quarter to give the Lions a 53-52 lead after three.
 
Robinson hit a three pointer to begin the fourth quarter and pushed the lead back up to five. With three minutes left in the game, UTA went on a 6-0 run to take a three-point lead. The game was not tied again until the two free throws by Smith with 36 seconds left.
 
Shooting 11 for 23 from the field, Robinson had two assists to go along with her 26 points. Smith finished the game with 19 points, two rebounds, a block, and a steal. DesiRay Kernal (Newton, Kan.) fouled out in the game, but had 18 rebounds as well as 11 points, two assists, and two steals.
 
Laila Lawrence (Lewisville) earned her first start of the season and went for six points, seven rebounds, two assists, two steals, and two blocks. Jireh Washington had 22 points to lead UTA.
Burton added, "DesiRay was a beast on the boards with 18. Dyani and Asiyha scored the ball very effectively and played both sides of the ball, while Mia Deck and Zaria Collins had great efforts defensively.
 
"I loved the effort from everyone that touched the floor. This was our first game this year against a Division I opponent and we showed we have what it takes to win at this level. A couple less turnovers, fewer offensive rebounds by them, or a couple of calls go our way, and we win. We are right there, and I'm proud of our effort."
 
UP NEXT
The Lions head to Houston on Tuesday to face the Cougars at 7 p.m.