LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Texas A&M University-Commerce men's basketball team had a lead as big as 13 on No. 16 ranked Kentucky Wildcats at Rupp Arena, but the Wildcats mounted a comeback to win 81-61 on Friday night.
The Lions end the season-opening stretch of three straight games against major conference opponents, which included two nationally ranked SEC teams. Kentucky is ranked No. 16 in both the Associated Press and the USA Today Coaches Poll and is now 2-0 on the season. The Lions are 0-3 on the season with one more game left on this road trip.
To start the game, the Lions scored the first eight points as Kentucky called its first timeout at the 17:48 mark of the first half. The Lions made three of their first four shots from the distance and a three pointer by
Evan Phelps (Duncanville) at the 13:28 mark gave A&M-Commerce a 19-6 lead.
Following a Wildcat bucket,
Kalen Williams (Augusta, Ga.) tipped in a layup to push the lead back up to 13, but Kentucky held A&M-Commerce to just two points in the next five minutes and stormed back to lead 27-24. That was the only lead change in the game and the game was not tied outside of the opening tip. A&M-Commerce had the lead for the first 11:20 of the game.
In the final stretch of the game, Kentucky extended its lead to 22, which was its largest of the game. The Wildcats had the 42-26 advantage in points in the paint, 17-7 edge in points off turnovers, and outscored the Lions, 23-1, in fast break opportunities.
Both teams shot over 40 percent, with A&M-Commerce shooting 23 for 56 from the field and 10 for 27 from the distance. Kentucky shot 32 for 27 from the field, made eight three pointers, and missed just one attempt at the free throw line.
Williams,
Tommie Lewis (Vero Beach, Fla.), and Jerome Brewer, Jr. (Camden, N.J.) totaled 49 of the team's 61 points. Williams went 8 for 14 from the field for 19 points, while Lewis knocked down five shots from the distance for his 18 points. All three players had four rebounds as well.
Alonzo Dodd (St. Paul, Minn.) had team-high seven rebounds, while
Zondrick Garrett (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) grabbed five rebounds off the bench. Williams dished out four assists, which was highest on the team.
All five starters for the Wildcats scored in double digits. Kentucky used just two players off the bench, who combined for three points. Antonio Reeves went 8 for 14 from the field for 21 points, Tre Mitchell had 18. Kentucky had just three turnovers in the game.
PRESS CONFERENCE
UP NEXT
The Lions head up to Indiana to close out the road trip at Purdue Fort Wayne on Sunday at 2 p.m. eastern.
-TAMUC-
