Feb. 22, 2006

Final Stats

COMMERCE, Texas - The A&M-Commerce women have done what no other team has done in the program's first 34 seasons, win a school-record 15 games and in the process go undefeated at home during the regular season.

A 69-56 Lone Star Conference North Division win over Cameron (Okla.) Wednesday night at the Field House was, in fact, the stage for three firsts as the Lions won their school-record 12th straight game at home this season.

The Lions (15-11, 7-4) led most of the way after a jumper from Dawn Montgomery with 15 minutes remaining in the first half put the Lions up 10-9. From there, Montgomery and Althea Byfield led a 10-0 push to take a 19-9 lead with 10 minutes left in the half.

The South Central Region's No. 10 Lady Aggies, dropping to 15-12 and 6-6 in the North, snuck within five on a jumper from Ciara Carroll to cut the Lion lead to 26-21 at the 3:47 mark in the first. But Montgomery responded with the final score of the half, giving the Lions a 35-23 lead at the break, her 13th point of the period.

She was 7-of-9 from the field for 15 points and four assists while snagging nine boards and two steals in a full 40 minutes on the court.

Cameron would work the Lions advantage down to 45-41 when Tiffany Williams spotted a layup with 8:42 remaining. Katedria Mosley added a critical score for A&M-Commerce with a layup on the next possession. On the ensuing sequence, Althea Byfield jumped a Cameron pass for a steal, setting up Rashida Wilson to be fouled to prevent a breakaway score. It was one of seven steals for the senior in setting a new high for the Lions this season.

Wilson hit both shots from the line to give the Lions seven unanswered points. Both sides traded jumpers, and Kanani Marshal put the game to rest after hitting a wide open 3-pointer with 5:50 to play. When Cameron got back within single digits, Mosley drilled a three from the top of the arc to give the Lions a 60-49 edge with four on the clock. Two more Marshal threes would give her five for the game on her way to posting a team-high 20 points.

The Lady Aggies turned the ball over 27 times on 20 Lions steals for 29 points in A&M-Commerce's favor. The Lions committed just 16 turnovers.

Byfield and Mosley both recorded nine points in the win.

Shantel Williams posted a game-high 21 points, while Joneatta Brown also added 11 for the Lady Aggies. Tiffany Williams recorded 10 boards and seven points.

The Lions return to the road for their final game of the regular season, a 1 p.m. tip-off Saturday at North Division leader Southwestern Oklahoma State.