THIBODAUX, La. – C.J. Roberts was the hero once again on Monday night at Stopher Gymnasium as he drilled a game-winning layup to give the Texas A&M University-Commerce men's basketball team a 72-71 win over the Nicholls Colonels, the two-time defending Southland Conference champions.
The win snaps a four-game losing streak for the Lions and hands the Colonels just their second loss on their home floor this season and just their fifth home loss since 2019. It is the first time the Colonels have lost two or more home games in a season since 2018-19.
Monday night's win also marks career win No. 100 for coach
Jaret von Rosenberg. He is the sixth coach in program history to achieve that feat.
A&M-Commerce improves to 8-7 in Southland Conference play to remain in fifth place. The Lions hold a two-game advantage over HCU, who is in sixth place, with three games to play. Nicholls falls into a tie for third place with Southeastern at 9-6.
The Lions trailed 69-67 with 2:40 left in the game and tied it at 69 on a dunk by
Demarcus Demonia (Fort Washington, Md.) with 1:20 to go. Nicholls took a 71-70 lead with 13 seconds left, but Roberts (Irving – Richland) hit a game-winner once again by drilling a layup with 5.6 seconds to go. Nicholls' chance on the other end did not touch the rim.
C.J. ROBERTS GAME-WINNER HIGHLIGHT
JJ Romer Rosario (Hialeah Gardens, Fla.) scored the first four points for the Lions, who shot 2 for 7 to start the game. They made four of their next six to lead 13-9 with 11:36 left in the first.
Alex Peavy (San Antonio – Smithson Valley) started the game shooting 2 for 2 for five points through four minutes played. The Lions led by six on a 9-0 run, 15-9.
The Lions led 20-15 with 8:09 to go in the first with a three pointer from
Ant Abraham (Mount Vernon, N.Y.). The Lions had a stretch in which they shot 1 for 9 from the field and it allowed Nicholls to take a 27-24 lead on a 6-0 run, hitting back-to-back threes.
A&M-Commerce hit four of its last five to end the half and tied the game at 36. Romer Rosario shot a nice 6 for 9 from the field in the first half for 13 points, while Roberts scored 13. He was 5 for 5 from the line in the first half. The Lions were a perfect 7 for 7 at the line and shot 43.3 percent from the field.
Nicholls shot 43.8 percent for its 36 points in the first half and was perfect at the line as well, shooting 3 for 3. Lance Amir-Paul and Latrell Jones scored eight points each in the first half.
The Lions had a 44-43 lead, but Nicholls went on a 10-0 run while keeping A&M-Commerce scoreless for over three minutes to jump out to a nine-point lead with 13:42 to go.
A quick 7-0 run brought A&M-Commerce to 56-53, with five points scored by Romer Rosario and two scored by Jerome Brewer, Jr. Roberts converted an and-one to give the Lions a 62-60 lead, their first since 44-43.
Romer Rosario and Roberts scored 21 points each. Romer Rosario grabbed five rebounds and Roberts dished out four assists, as did
Alonzo Dodd (St. Paul, Minn.). Demonia recorded a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. The Lions finished the game shooting 44.3 percent from the field.
Nicholls' leading scorer was Caleb Huffman with 18, but he fouled out with two minutes to play. Huffman had a double-double with 10 rebounds as well. Nicholls shot 46 percent from the field.
POST GAME INTERVIEW
UP NEXT
The Lions' road swing continues on Thursday at conference-leading Texas A&M Corpus-Christi at 7:30 p.m.
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