VERMILLION, S.D. – Despite trailing by 19 points with less than eight minutes left in Wednesday night's game at the Sanford Coyote Sports Center, the Texas A&M University-Commerce men's basketball team rallied to make it a five-point game with 1:35 left in the game, but the South Dakota Coyotes hung on for a 91-83 win.
 
The game was tied at 32 at halftime. South Dakota came out of the break and scored 15 of the first 19 points of the second half to lead 47-36 at the 15:52 mark of the second half and moves to 2-0 on the season, while the Lions fall to 0-2 on the season.
 
Back-to-back three pointers from Khaliq Abdul-Mateen (Cy-Lakes) helped the Lions spark a nine-point run late to make it a 82-77 game with 1:35 left in the game, but the Coyotes scored the next five, and despite the Lions cutting it to five again with 18 seconds left, they never had the ball on the offensive side with a chance to make it a one-score game.
 
The Lions shot 36 percent from the field, including four three-pointers in the first half, leading by as much as six at the 2:24 mark. The Coyotes scored seven of the final eight points of the first half to tie the game at the half. The Lions shot 54 percent in the second half, but the Coyotes shot 58 percent.
 
Abdul-Mateen led the Lions in scoring for the second straight game, totaling 18 points, four rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Scooter Williams Jr. (Chattanooga, Tenn.) added 15 points, five rebounds, two steals, and one assist.
 
Off the bench, Tay Mosher (The Colony) scored 12 on 4 for 6 shooting and picked up three rebounds, while Demarco Bethea (Sellars, S.C.) had 10 points, team-high seven rebounds, while TJ Thomas (Memphis, Tenn.) picked up 11 points, four rebounds, two steals, and an assist.
 
The Coyotes were led in scoring by Chase Forte, who scored 23 along with four rebounds, four assists, and two steals. He drew 11 fouls and went 13 for 16 at the line. The Lions went 14 for 25 at the line as a team.

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UP NEXT
The Lions conclude the three-game road swing to begin the season on Friday night at 7 p.m. at No. 13/15 Texas A&M.