COMMERCE – The Texas A&M University-Commerce women's basketball team collected its first Southland Conference win on Saturday afternoon in the Field House, beating the UIW Cardinals, 64-61.
 
UIW took a 55-53 lead with three minutes to go, but the Lions scored the next five points to take a three-point lead. After a layup from the Cardinals, Olivia Russell (Auburn Hills, Mich.) drilled a three-pointer to push the lead up to 61-57. The Lions made three of their four free throws down the stretch to pick up the win, snapping a four-game losing streak.
 
The Lions improve to 3-10 on the season and Saturday was the Lions' first conference win as a Division I squad and as members of the Southland Conference. The Cardinals fall to 5-6 on the season and 0-1 in conference play. The two teams meet again in San Antonio on February 25.
 
A&M-Commerce had a 19-14 lead after the first, but was outscored, 17-9, in the second quarter thanks in large part to a 9-0 run by UIW. There were nine lead changes and 11 ties in the game with the Lions leading for just under 21 minutes.
 
Dyani Robinson (Langham Creek) recorded her seventh 20-point game of the season, finishing the game with 21 points, three rebounds, three assists, and two steals. DesiRay Kernal (Newton, Kan.) also scored in double-double digits and is now just four points away from scoring 1,000 points. She had 15 points, six rebounds, four assists, which led the team, and a steal.
 
Making her first start of the season, Russell scored eight points and team-best seven rebounds as well as two blocks and an assist. Mia Deck (Frisco – Lone Star) scored seven, while Nya Harmon (Dallas – Bowie) had five. Both Laila Lawrence (Lewisville) and Zaria Collins (Plano) score four each.
 
DaLonna Choice (Mesquite Horn) made her season debut. For the Cardinals, both Nina De Leon Negron and Aliyah Collins scored 17 points each.
 
The Lions made eight of their 17 three-point attempts and had the 16-14 edge in fastbreak points.

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The Lions host Nicholls on Thursday at 5:30 p.m.