Texas A&M University-Commerce got their first win of the season over Ouachita Baptist and also recording the program's first ever win over the Tigers. The Lions held the Tigers scoreless from the three-point line in the second half and got 12 second-half points from Danielle Dixon to secure the win.
Overall the Lions held the Tigers to just 3-of-20 from behind the line (15%) and to just 35% shooting overall.
Dixon added seven rebounds to her game high 22 points for the Lions on 10-of-18 shooting. Breanna Harris added 10 points with five rebounds. Aubree Butts added six points, which all came in a row at a crucial point in the second half. La'Tisha Hearne added nine and seven off the bench.
Devin Oliver made the lone Lion three of the night as part of her six-point, five-rebound and two-steal performance. Abigail Leaupepe-Tele added six points and five rebounds for the Lions.
The Lion offense struggled out of the gate and found themselves down 8-2 in the first six minutes with missed opportunities on easy looks from the paint. Ouachita maintained the lead until a Dixon jumper gave the Lions their first lead at 17-16 with 9:06 remaining in the first half. The lead was short lived however as the Tigers came right back down the floor and retook the lead after a three-pointer from Alexis Sharp.
A&M-Commerce would then reclaim the lead at 25-24 off a Leaupepe-Tele jumper from inside the lane with just over four minutes to play. The Tigers got the lead back at 26-25 and took it into the locker room with the score 34-31.
At the start of the second the Tigers were able to maintain a lead before another Dixon bucket gave the Lions a 43-42 lead. After the Lions tied the game at 45, Butts went on her personal 6-0 run to give the Lions the lead for good. An Ashlee Johnson layup capped the 10-0 run to make it 53-45 in favor of the Lions.
A Hearne jumper gave the Lions a six-point lead with exactly two minutes left but the Tigers tried to mount one last comeback. After a Tiger free throw they stole the inbounds pass. After a Lion foul, they converted one of two free throws to make it 66-62 with 1:16 left.
After another Lion turnover, the Tigers made a layup to make it a two-point game, 66-64, with 1:12 left. The Lions then came down the court and got a layup from Harris after an offensive rebound from Alize Pegue to put the game on ice.
The Lions return to the court next when they travel to Stephen F. Austin to take on their third Division I team this season (Sam Houston State, Abilene Christian). The Lions return home to take on Angelo State in the LSC opener on the second of January.
