LAKE CHARLES, La. – For the sixth straight season, the Texas A&M University-Commerce women's basketball team has recorded a postseason win after outscoring the eight seeded Northwestern State, 26-9, in the fourth quarter in the Legacy Center on its way to a 79-66 win on Monday afternoon to advance in the Southland Conference Tournament.
 
The Lions won their first postseason contest as a Division I program and face fourth seeded UIW on Tuesday morning at 11 a.m. in the quarterfinals. DesiRay Kernal (Newton, Kan.) match her career high withs 27 points for the Lions, while Mia Deck (Frisco – Lone Star) scored 14 in the second half.
 

POST GAME PRESS CONFERENCE
 
The Lions jumped out to an early 7-2 lead behind four points from Kernal. Northwestern State scored the next six, while holding the Lions without a point for a stretch of 2 minutes and 57 seconds.
 
Kernal scored eight of the team's first 11 points. A&M-Commerce did not make a field goal for the final two minutes and 43 seconds of the first quarter, but held a 18-15 lead after the first 10 minutes.
 
The Lions led by as much as eight in the second quarter at 29-21, but NSU kept it close by hitting back-to-back three pointers. Jiselle Woodson knocked down four three pointers in a row to bring the Lady Demons to a 33-33 tie. Northwestern made seven of nine to take 38-37 lead in the final minute of the first half. Woodson scored 18 in the first half.
 
Northwestern State scored six of the first seven points of the second half to lead by five, its largest lead to that point of the game. The Lady Demons started the third shooting 63 percent, while the Lions shot 33 percent, which allowed the Lady Demons to go up by seven, while leading for the entirety of the third quarter.
 
The Lions scored the final two points of the third quarter and started the fourth by scoring five straight to retake the lead at 58-57 on a jumper by Mia Deck (Frisco – Lone Star). Northwestern State shot just 19 percent in the fourth quarter with the Lions taking their largest lead of the game in the final 10 seconds.
 
Kernal was 10 for 13 at the line and recorded a double-double with 15 rebounds going with her 27 points, she also drew nine fouls in the game. Kernal led the team with four steals, while tying Laila Lawrence (Lewisville) for four assists each. Lawrence scored 14 in the game and missed a double-double by just one point.
 
Deck added 17 points, while Olivia Russell (Auburn Hills, Mich.) scored eight. All but one player that appeared in the game, scored at least one point for the Lions. A&M-Commerce had the 45-21 edge in rebounding and 40-20 edge in points in the paint. The Lions shot 26 for 34 at the line, which is tied for 16^th all-time.
 
Woodson scored 32 points for the Lady Demons, only one other NSU player scored in double-digits, and it was 2022-23 first team all-Southland player Candice Parramore, who tallied 10, but fouled out in the game.