NATCHITOCHES, La. – Despite trailing by as much as 18 in the second half, the Texas A&M University-Commerce women's basketball team stormed back to tie the game in the fourth quarter, but fell 69-66 to the Northwestern State Lady Demons on Saturday afternoon at the Prather Coliseum.
 
A&M-Commerce trailed by 18 with 6:37 left in the third quarter, but allowed just four points the rest of the quarter, while trimming the Lady Demon lead down to 59-54 at the end of the third. The Lions scored the first four points of the fourth to make it a one-possession game for the first time since the first quarter and the scoring margin was not bigger than three the rest of the game.
 
The Lions tied the game at 62 on a pair of free throws by Mia Deck (Frisco – Lone Star) and again at 64 on a layup by Jordyn Newsome (Irving – MacArthur), but the Lady Demons scored the next three and the Lions were not able to tie the game again.
 
After a pair of free throws from the Lady demons, the Lions had the ball for the final possession of the game, trailing by three, but Deck's shot came up short to tie the game as the clock expired.
 
With the loss, the Lions fall to 10-10 overall and 5-5 in Southland Conference play, having gone 1-1 in each of the first five weekends of conference play. The Lady Demons improve to 9-12 overall and are now also 5-5 in conference play.
 
The Lions were held without a field goal through the first 4:56 of the game, scoring their first six points at the line. Northwestern State led 13-6, but a 9-2 run, including a three pointer from Newsome and two from Deck pulled the Lions within one. The Lady Demons scored seven of the final eight points of the quarter to lead 24-17 after the first quarter.
 
The Lady Demons held the Lions to shoot 29 percent in the second quarter and the closest the Lions got to tying the game was four points, on an and-one by Olivia Russell (Auburn Hills, Mich.). Northwestern State had a 30-43 lead at the half, after a three right before the buzzer by Newsome.
 
The Lions scored a layup to start the third, but the Lady Demons scored the next eight on their way to taking an 18-point lead at the midway point of the third quarter. The Lady Demons went scoreless for the final 4:17 of the third quarter as the Lions scored 10 in a row to cut it to 59-54 at the end of the fourth quarter.
 
In the final 6:37 of the third, the Lions outscored the Lady Demons, 17-4. After making just eight combined field goals in the first half, the Lions made eight in the third quarter alone.
 
The Lions were limited to shooting 4 for 13 in the fourth quarter, missing all four shots from the distance.
 
Newsome led the Lions with 27 points as well as six rebounds, while Deck added 17 points and four rebounds. Jordyn Beaty (Woodville) scored nine points with 11 rebounds off the bench.
 
For the Lady Demons, who shot 42 percent in the game, though just 25 percent in the fourth quarter, Jenny Ntambwe scored 16 off the bench, while Karmelah Dean added 15 and Sharna Ayres scored 14, she also added 13 rebounds.

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The Lions head home for a pair of games in the Field House next weekend, hosting Southeastern on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. and New Orleans next Saturday at 3:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at LionAthletics.com/Tickets.