COMMERCE – Four starters scored in double digits for the Texas A&M University-Commerce women's basketball team on Saturday in its 63-53 win in the Field House over Houston Christian.
 
The Lions are back to .500 on the season and in conference play with an overall record of 7-7 and a Southland Conference record of 2-2. The Huskies fall to 5-10 overall and 0-4 in SLC play.
 
A&M-Commerce won the opening tip-off and scored the first five points of the game, leading 8-2 at the 9:01 mark of the first quarter, but the Huskies went on a 12-0 run to take a 14-8 lead at the 5:43 mark. The Lions served back a 6-2 run to come to within two, but HCU led 19-16 after the first quarter.
 
In the second quarter, the Lions outscored the Huskies, 22-10, which included a 9-0 run. The Lions led by as much as nine in the quarter. Mia Deck (Frisco – Lone Star) scored eight points in the second quarter.
 
Deck and Jordyn Newsome (Irving – MacArthur) scored 10 points each in the first half. The Lions outshot the Huskies, 44 percent to 29 percent, through the first 20 minutes, and led 38-29 at halftime.
 
The two teams combined to scored just 17 points in the second half, with the Huskies holding an 11-6 advantage in the period. HCU trimmed its deficit all the way down to two with 1:21 left in the quarter, but a fastbreak layup from Ahmya Boyce (Newport News, Va.) gave the Lions a 44-40 edge going into the fourth quarter.
 
A&M-Commerce shot 3 for 16 in the third quarter, while HCU shot 4 for 21.
 
Boyce knocked down a three-pointer on the first possession of the fourth quarter and the Lions, behind a 6-0 run, extended their lead to a game-high of 12 points at the 2:55 mark on a jumper by Newsome.
 
In the game, Boyce finished with 14 points, five rebounds, four assists, and a steal. Both Deck and Newsome totaled 12 points and six rebounds each, with Deck dishing out two assists, one steal, and a block as well, while Newsome had three assists and a block.
 
Mary Delgado (Miami, Fla.) scored 11 points along with four assists, while Olivia Russell (Auburn Hills, Mich.) picked up seven points, eight rebounds, and two blocks. Off the bench, Jordyn Beaty (Woodville) recorded team-high nine rebounds as well as four points and two blocks.
 
For the Huskies, Erin Maguire scored 15 points and N'Denasija Collins had 12 points and eight rebounds.
 
The Lions shot 37 percent from the field, while HCU shot 28 percent. The Lions went a perfect 4 for 4 at the line and 9 for 25 from outside the arc and outrebounded the Huskies, 44-43.

POST GAME INTERVIEW
 
UP NEXT
The Lions head on the road to face the two teams that played in the SLC Tournament Championship game last season. On Thursday, A&M-Commerce faces Lamar at 7 p.m. and closes out the week at Southeastern next Saturday at 1 p.m.