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A&M-Commerce mens basketball reach <BR>LSC tournament title game

By Bill Oliver

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/ketr/local-ketr-683917.mp3

Bartlesville, OK –

Click on the mp3 icon to hear from Texas A&M University-Commerce men's basketball coach Sam Walker, following the Lions 70-65 win over Abilene Christian Friday night to advance to the title game of the Lone Star Conference tournament.

Coverage of the LSC title game on KETR starts Saturday night at 6:45. Listeners to A Prairie Home Companion can pick up Saturday night's broadcast on the ketr.org website. Click on the bouncing speaker then click on the Prairie Home icon.

Here is the Friday night game summary, courtesy of Danny Kambel, A&M-Commerce Sports Information Director:

Texas A&M University-Commerce punched its ticket to the finals of the 2008 Lone Star Conference Championships with a 70-65 win over Abilene Christian on Friday night.

With two seconds left on the shot clock and 1:05 left in the game, senior Derrick Darkis hit a three pointer that put the Lions in front by five, 68-63. ACU answered with a jumper, but the Lions secured its spot in Saturday's championship final when senior Kevin Widemond hit a pair of free throws with :20 left in the contest.

With the Lions leading by five, the Wildcats missed a pair of 3 pointers in the last 14 seconds to send the Lions to their first LSC Championship game since 2004-05.

A&M-Commerce (14-15) had three players in double figures for the 10th time on the season. Widemond continued his strong tournament play with 14 points, a block and two steals. He was joined in double figures by Scooby Johnson and Lance Jackson, who scored 19 and 12 points, respectively.

Abilene Christian (20-9), who is ranked No. 9 in the latest NCAA South Central Regional rankings, had four of its starters in double figures. Cameron Holson led the Wildcats with 15 points and a team-high seven rebounds. He was joined by Dejan Sencanski, who added 14 and Stephen Musa and Brandon Callahan that chipped in 11 points apiece.

After a dunk by Rashad Brown tied the game for the ninth time, 31-31, the Lions went on to score seven of the next nine points for its biggest lead of the game, 40-33. ACU had an answer with an 11-0 run of its own to take a 44-40 lead with 13:17 to go.

The Wildcats were in the lead until an exchange of three pointers by Holson and Johnson tied the game at 60 with 4:23 remaining. The Lions took its final lead when Widemond blocked only his fifth shot of the season when he blocked a Riley Lambert that set up a lay up for senior Leonard Bishop. A&M-Commerce extended its lead to five, 65-60, on a 3 pointer by Widemond. ACU again answered with a 3 pointer of its own to get within two. On the Wildcats' next possession, Musa missed a five-foot jumper that would have tied the contest.