COMMERCE – The Texas A&M University-Commerce women's basketball team suffered an 86-53 loss at the hands of Houston on Friday night in front a raucous crowd of 1,204 fans in the Field House.
 
The Cougars, a member of the Big XII Conference, are the first Power Five conference team to play a regular season game at A&M-Commerce. Houston is now 6-1 on the season, with Friday being its first road game of the season. The Lions drop to 5-4 on the season, falling at home for the first time.
 
Despite Houston scoring the first four points of the game, the Lions, behind a three-pointer from Ahmya Boyce (Newport News, Va.) and a jumper from Mia Deck (Frisco – Lone Star), took a 5-4 lead. Mary Delgado (Miami, Fla.) put the Lions back up 7-6 with 6:23 left in the first quarter, but the Lions were outscored 15-1, the rest of the quarter.
 
Both teams shot poorly in the second quarter, as Houston scored 11 and A&M-Commerce tallied five points in the second quarter. After a combined 17 points in the second quarter, the two teams combined for 55 in the third quarter. The Cougars had the 33-22 advantage to lead by 31 after three quarters.
 
Jordyn Beaty (Woodville) provided a spark for the Lions in the fourth quarter, scoring 10 points on 5 for 6 shooting. The Lions were outscored by just three in the fourth quarter.
 
Houston came into the game leading the country in steals per game and second in turnovers forced per game. In Friday's game, the Cougars recorded 13 steals and forced 21 Lion turnovers, both were below their season averages. The Lions shot 31 percent from the field, 15 percent from the distance and 75 percent at the line.
 
The Cougars were led in scoring by 12 points each from N'Yah Boyd, Djessira Diawara, and Maliyah Johnson, who came off the bench. Houston outscored A&M-Commerce, 48-24, in the paint, and outrebounded the Lions by 22 rebounds.
 
Delgado had a double-double for the second straight game. She scored 14 points to go along with 10 rebounds, four assists, and two steals. Jordyn Newsome (Irving – MacArthur) scored seven and Deck added six. Olivia Russell (Auburn Hills, Mich.) battled foul trouble all game, but tallied seven rebounds in just 11 minutes.

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The Lions' next two scheduled games come on December 18 against Champion Christian at home and at Texas A&M on December 31 at 2 p.m.
 
Tickets for all future Lion home games can be purchased at LionAthletics.com/Tickets.