COMMERCE – Despite a 13-point deficit in the first half, the East Texas A&M University women's basketball team stormed back to take a 68-57 win over the Nicholls Colonels on Saturday afternoon on the Hunt Regional Healthcare Court in the Field House.
 
It was the first time that the Lions came back from being 10 to win the game since doing so against the Colonels at home last season. The Lions have won two in a row in conference play to move to 9-10 on the season and 5-7 in Southland action, while the Colonels fall to 9-10 overall and 6-7 in SLC action.
 
East Texas A&M has won the last three over Nicholls and is now 6-1 all-time in the series.
 
The Colonels scored the first basket of the game and did not surrender that lead until the third quarter, jumping out to a 6-1 lead before the Lions made their first field goal of the game. The largest lead in the game for Nicholls was 13 points.
 
The Lions allowed just one points in the final four minutes of the second quarter and cut the deficit down to 29-22 at the half.
 
Nicholls held a 39-31 lead at the 5:34 mark of the third, the Lions then scored 13 of the next 15 to grab a 44-41 lead with 1:09 left in the quarter, their first of the game. Nicholls was held scoreless for over two minutes during that stretch.
 
Entering the fourth quarter with a one-point lead, the Lions held a lead as big as 12, which came with 34 seconds left in the game. East Texas A&M outscored Nicholls, 46-28 in the second half, shooting 15 for 26 from the field and 5 for 10 from deep.  
 
Reza Po (San Bruno, Calif.) led the way with 24 points for the Lions on 6 for 12 shooting from the field and went 9 for 11 at the line. She also added three rebounds and three assists. In the last two games, she has averaged 28.5 points per game.
 
Tiani Ellison (Durant, Okla.) recorded her second double-double of the season, totaling 13 points and 10 rebounds. Ahmya Boyce (Newport News, Va.) finished the game with 11 points, while Marie Kenembeni scored 19 to lead the Colonels.
 

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The Lions take a quick trip to SFA on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. before playing their next three at home.