COMMERCE – A free throw from
Scooter Williams Jr. with less than two seconds left in Wednesday afternoon's game was all that separated the East Texas A&M University men's basketball team and the Abilene Christian Wildcats in the 68-67 win for the Lions in front of a crowd of 1,611 as part of the Education Day presented by Signature Solar in the Field House.
The Lions snapped a seven-game losing with the come-from-behind win over the Wildcats. East Texas A&M trailed by as much as 10 in the game and seven at halftime.
With the game tied at 61 at the 1:59 mark of the second half, both teams exchanged points, with the Lions leading by as much three, but the Wildcats scored three of the next four to tie the game.
A dunk from the Wildcats' Quion Williams tied the game at 67 and gave the possession to the Lions with little over 13 seconds left in the game. Williams Jr. (Chattanooga, Tenn.) drove to the basket with less than four seconds left and drew a foul with 1.9 seconds left officially for two shots at the line.
After the missing the first shot, his second shot the line rolled in to put the Lions ahead by a point. The Wildcats' buzzer beater attempt bounced off the backboard.
WILLIAM JR. GAME-WINNING FREE THROW HIGHLIGHT
The Lions and the Wildcats played for the 99
th overall time on Wednesday and for the first time in Commerce since both teams moved up to NCAA Division I. East Texas A&M is now 58-41 in the series, including 35-10 all-time in Commerce.
The win moves the Lions to 2-10 on the season, while the Wildcats fall to 7-5. The two teams are 1-1 against each other over the last three years.
ACU scored the first seven points of the game and took a 20-10 lead at the 4:46 mark of the first half, which was the only time either team had a lead in double digits in the game. The Lions served back an 8-0 run to come to within one possession for the first time since the opening minute of the game.
The Wildcats closed out the first half scoring seven of the final nine points and led 27-20 at halftime.
A 6-0 run in less than a minute helped the Lions take their first lead of the game at the 12:56 mark of the second half, 34-33. The two teams exchanged the lead for the next two minutes, but the Wildcats' last lead of the game came at 39-38 with 10:45 left.
East Texas A&M had a lead as big as five in the game. The Lions outscored the Wildcats, 48-40 in the second half, and had the 53-11 advantage in bench points.
Williams Jr. shot 7 for 11 from the field for his 19 points and was tied for the team lead with six rebounds as well as three assists and three steals.
Khaliq Abdul-Mateen (Cy-Lakes) totaled 17 points, going 11 for 12 at the line, scoring all 17 in the second half.
The Lions forced 16 turnovers and scored 20 points off turnovers, while committing 18 turnovers and ACU scoring 10 points off turnovers. ET shot 63 percent from the field in the second half and went 23 for 30 at the line in the second half and 26 for 37 in the game.
Williams led the Wildcats with 17 points, while Leonardo Bettiol scored 16 and Jack Hunter Madden added 13.
POST GAME INTERVIEW
UP NEXT
The Lions head to South Florida on Saturday to close out non-conference play at 3 p.m. eastern, 2 p.m. central.
-ETAMU-
