LAKE CHARLES, La. – The Texas A&M University-Commerce women's basketball team rolled to its biggest road win in the program's Division I era on Thursday night, beating the McNeese Cowgirls, 94-70, at the Legacy Center.
 
The Lions led for all but a minute in the game and picked up their second straight win to move to 10-9 overall and 5-4 in Southland Conference play, while the Cowgirls are now 4-18 overall and 0-9 in SLC action.
 
The 24-point win is the second largest for A&M-Commerce against a Southland opponent, while being the largest on the road in the Division I era and biggest since February 8, 2022. The previous-high in the Division I era was a 13-point win in last season's SLC Tournament against Northwestern State, which was also in the Legacy Center.
 
The Lions won both meetings over the Cowgirls this season, marking the fourth time in the Division I era and first time this season that the Lions won both regular season meetings over a conference opponent.
 
A&M-Commerce made 12 three-pointers in the game, which are the second-most in a game this season, while recording 17 assists as well.
 
The Lions started the game shooting 6 for 7 from outside-the-arc and led 13-5 through the first two minutes and 48 seconds of the game. The Cowgirls scored the next nine to take their first lead of the game, but the Lions outscored McNeese, 8-4 the rest of the first quarter for a 21-18 lead.
 
A&M-Commerce shot 65 percent in the second half, outscoring McNeese, 28-14. The Lions' biggest lead in the second quarter was 18 points. Mia Deck (Frisco – Lone Star) totaled 13 on 5 for 12 shooting at the half, while Ahmya Boyce (Newport News, Va.) was 5 for 9 for her 12 points, but she picked up her fourth foul early in the third quarter, limiting her playing time in the second half.
 
The Cowgirls shot 33 percent from the field in the first half, going 1 for 7 from the distance.
 
The hot shooting continued for the Lions in the second half as they led throughout the quarter, extending to as big as 25, while shooting 59 percent in the quarter. McNeese used an 8-0 run to fight back into the game, but Deck drilled a three-pointer right before the buzzer to put the Lions up 74-56 after three quarters.
 
Jordyn Newsome (Irving – MacArthur) scored 10 of the 25 points for the Lions in the third quarter. Following the three from Deck to end the third quarter, the Lions outscored the Cowgirls, 8-2, in the first 3:49 of the fourth quarter, shooting 4 for 8 from the field, while McNeese shot 1 for 4.
 
The Lions ended the game outshooting the Cowgirls, 54 percent to 39 percent, while making 12 three-pointers. McNeese made just two. A&M-Commerce also had the 45-33 edge in rebounding.
 
Deck led the Lions with 22 points and six rebounds, while Newsome scored 18 with four assists. Boyce was limited to 22 minutes of action, but still totaled 16 points and team-high six assists.
 
Jasmine Payne (Birmingham, Ala.) picked up her first double-double of the season with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Olivia Russell (Auburn Hills, Mich.) added six points and eight rebounds off the bench, while Jordyn Beaty (Woodville) scored nine points with five rebounds and two steals.
 
Jada Hood (Roseville, Minn.) appeared in the game at the 2:32 mark of the fourth quarter, which was her first appearance this season and first overall since December 3, 2022, at Utah Tech. She drilled a three-pointer as well.  
 
Harper Biley (Cy-Falls) also made an appearance in the game, which was her first collegiate appearance and scored her first collegiate points as well.
 
McNeese's Emilia Tenbrock scored 20 points and four rebounds. She has totaled 60 points in the two games against A&M-Commerce this season.


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The Lions remain on the road to close out the weekend at Northwestern State on Saturday at 1 p.m.