SOUTH PADRE ISLAND – The Bowling Green Falcons and the Texas A&M University-Commerce women's basketball team opened the UTRGV South Padre Island Classic on Monday afternoon with the Falcons winning 90-61 at the South Padre Island Convention Centre.
 
The Lions have lost two in a row and fall to 2-8 on the season, while the Falcons are 9-1 on the season. Bowling Green was ranked No. 52 in NCAA Division I according to the NCAA NET Rankings coming into the game, which is the third-best of any opponent that the Lions face in 2022-23, and A&M-Commerce was ranked No. 238.
 
The Lions trailed 11-7 in the first quarter with 4:44 left, but the Falcons scored the next 10 points to build a 14-point lead. Laila Lawrence (Lewisville) scored seven of the 15 points for A&M-Commerce in the first quarter, who trailed by 10 after the first 10 minutes. Three Bowling Green players had six or more points in the first quarter.
 
The Falcons had a 17-3 edge in points off turnovers in the first half to lead 46-32 at halftime. They finished the game with 32 points off turnovers, while the Lions had nine off turnovers. Bowling Green forced 24 turnovers, compared to 16 for A&M-Commerce.
 
On the season coming into Monday, the Falcons were shooting 38 percent from the distance. They made six three-pointers on a clip of 60 percent in the first half. Dyani Robinson (Langham Creek) and Lawrence had eight points each in the first half, while DesiRay Kernal (Newton, Kan.) tallied six points and five rebounds.
 
Nyla Hampton scored 13 points in the first half for Bowling Green, shooting 5 for 6 from the field. The Falcons shot 54.3 percent from the field in the first half and 55.6 percent in the game. Hampton and Morgan Sharps tallied 17 points each.  
 
Lawrence shot 7 for 11 from the field for 16 points off the bench, she grabbed five rebounds, two assists, and a steal as well. Kernal finished the game with 11 points, eight rebounds, and three steals. Robinson totaled 12 points and three assists.
 
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The UTRGV South Padre Island concludes on Tuesday at 3 p.m. against Boise State. It is also the Lions' final game before Christmas.