COMMERCE – Career-high 27 points from DesiRay Kernal helped the Texas A&M University-Commerce women's basketball team roll to an 83-70 win over the New Orleans Privateers on Thursday evening in the Field House. 
 
The Lions improve to 11-14 overall and 9-4 in Southland play, they remain 1.5 games out of first place with five games left in the season. New Orleans, who lost both games to A&M-Commerce in the regular season, falls to 6-17 overall and 5-9 in conference play. 
 
A&M-Commerce jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the game, holding New Orleans scoreless for the first 4:51 of the game and never looked back. The five-point lead when the Privateers scored to make it 7-2 was the smallest lead for the rest of the game. 
 
The Lions' largest lead of the game came in the fourth quarter when Zaria Collins (Plano) opened the quarter with a layup and made it 66-45. A&M-Commerce shot 54 percent in the game, shooting above 50 percent in all but the first quarter. At the line, the Lions went 13 for 14. 
 
Kernal (Newton, Kan.) had 13 of the Lions' first 30 points and finished the game with 27, which is a new career high. She shot 11 for 15 in the game and was a perfect 5 for 5 at the line. She also added five rebounds and four assists. Mia Deck (Frisco – Lone Star) totaled 20 points, which are her most as a Lion as well. She also had four rebounds, an assist, and a block in the game. 
 
Laila Lawrence (Lewisville) grabbed her fifth double-double of the season. She tallied 13 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, four blocks, and a steal. Olivia Russell (Auburn Hills, Mich.) scored eight off the bench and grabbed four rebounds. Collins had six rebounds and four points. 
 
Dorian Norris (Lake Dallas) recorded team-best five assists and scored four points. For the Privateers, DeArica Pryor scored 21, while Zoe Cooper had eight rebounds. 
 
The Lions scored 56 in the paint and had the 36-35 edge in rebounding. UNO shot 40 percent from the field and had the 21-14 edge in fast break points and its bench outscored A&M-Commerce, 38-15. 

 
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The Lions host Senior Day on Saturday against Southeastern at 2 p.m.