HOUSTON – Despite a 18-1 run to come to within two points of the Houston Christian Huskies on Saturday afternoon in the fourth quarter, the East Texas A&M University women's basketball team suffered a 62-56 loss at Sharp Gym in the Southland Conference opener for both teams.  
 
The Lions fall to 3-7 on the season, while the Huskies are 3-5. Saturday was the first-ever win for HCU over East Texas A&M.  
 
The Lions were held without a point for the first five minutes of the game and shot 1 for 14 in the first quarter, trailing 16-3 after the first 10 minutes. Both teams were within a point in the second quarter, with HCU outscoring East Texas A&M just 20-19 and both teams shot 50 percent or better in the second quarter.
 
The Huskies outrebounded the Lions 25-14 in the first half and led 36-22 at the break.
 
After falling behind 50-31 at the 2:59 mark of the third quarter, the Lions ended the third quarter on a 6-0 run and scored the first seven of the fourth quarter to cut the lead down to single digits. HCU went 0 for 7 from the field during the scoring drought.
 
The Huskies did not score their first points of the fourth quarter until the 6:09 mark, going 1 for 2 at the line. The Lions cut it down to a two-point game at the 5:04 mark of the second on a jumper in the paint by Jasmine Payne (Montgomery, Ala.), but the Huskies scored the next five to push the lead back up to seven as the Lions had three straight possessions with a turnover. The margin was not within one-possession again for the rest of the game.  
 
HCU outshot the Lions, 42.3 percent to 35.7 percent. Four of the five starters scored in double digits for the Huskies with Erin Maguire leading the way with 17 points, while Tiffany Tullis totaled 11 points and 14 rebounds.
 
Jordyn Newsome (Irving – MacArthur) picked up 12 points to lead the Lions, while J'Unti Franklin (Natchitoches, La.) added 11 off the bench, leading the team with six rebounds as well, and Payne totaled 10. The Lion bench outscored the Huskies' bench, 36-9.
 
UP NEXT
The Lions close out the month of the December and the stretch away from home on Friday at 1 p.m. at UIW.