TYLER – Texas A&M University-Commerce women's basketball coach Jason Burton collected his 150^th career win on the day that the No. 3/7 ranked Lions picked up a 72-52 win over the UT Tyler Patriots at the Louise Herrington Patriot Center on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Lions improve to 20-2, having won seven games in a row. They have reached the 20-win mark for the fifth time in program history and each of the last three full regular seasons. The Patriots drop to 14-6 overall. Saturday's game does not affect the Lone Star Conference standings.
 
Dyani Robinson (Langham Creek) scored the first five points of the game and head the Lions up 7-0 early. Laila Lawrence (Lewisville), who had seven points in the first half, gave the Lions a 13-3 lead at the 4:28 mark of the first quarter. The Patriots stormed back to trail by just four in the final minute of the quarter. A three pointer from Robinson pushed the Lion lead back up to seven to end the quarter.
 
The Lions were held to shoot 35 percent in the second quarter and the Patriots came all the way back to take the lead in the quarter. Montse Gutierrez hit a layup at the 6:04 mark to five the Patriots a 24-23 lead. The Lions scored the final four points of the half to lead 33-29 at half time, including a tough jump shot from Chania Wright (DeSoto) just before the buzzer. UT Tyler shot 53.8 percent in the second quarter.
 
The Patriots made eight field goals in the second half and were outscored, 40-23. The Lions took their largest lead of the game, 21 points, at the 2:16 mark on two free throws by Wright. After a layup for UT Tyler, Ashley Shipley (Tucumcari, N.M.) hit two free throws to push the lead back up to 21 at the end of the game.
 
Wright had 18 points, making four three pointers. Robinson totaled 10 points, three rebounds, and four assists. DesiRay Kernal (Newton, Kan.) had eight points, three rebounds, and two steals. Juliana Louis (Long Beach, Calif.) had two points and five rebounds. Asiyha Smith (Conway, Ark.) totaled seven points, six rebounds, and three assists.
 
The Lion bench produced 28 points with 15 coming from Lawrence. She had a double-double, recording 10 rebounds, 15 points, three steals, and a block. Mia Deck (Frisco – Lone Star) had four steals, seven points, and two rebounds. Dorian Norris (Lake Dallas) had four rebounds, while Jordyn Beaty (Woodville) had two points.
 
Both teams shot below 40 percent with the Lions shooting 34.9 percent from the field and 36 percent from distance, but they did make 20 of their 26 free throw attempts.


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The Lions return home for their final three home games of the regular season. A&M-Commerce hosts St. Edward's on Thursday at 5:30 p.m., St. Mary's on Saturday, February 19 at 2 p.m., and Texas Woman's on Tuesday, February 22 at 5:30 p.m.