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Lions To Begin Conference Play At ENMU

A&M-Commerce running backs Richard Cooper and Theo Wofford (21) combined for 287 yards during the Lions' 42-31 defeat of Eastern New Mexico in Commerce on Sept. 26, 2015.
lionathletics.com
A&M-Commerce running backs Richard Cooper and Theo Wofford (21) combined for 287 yards during the Lions' 42-31 defeat of Eastern New Mexico in Commerce on Sept. 26, 2015.

No. 7 Texas A&M University-Commerce (2-0) vs. Eastern New Mexico (1-1)

2 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 17; Greyhound Stadium, Portales, N.M.

Broadcast: 88.9 FM and KETR.org with Charlie Chitwood and Brock Callaway

 

Texas A&M University-Commerce travels to Eastern New Mexico University for both teams’ Lone Star Conference opener. The Lions’ ranking of 7th nationally in the latest American Football Coaches Association Poll is their highest ranking since the program joined NCAA Division II. The Greyhounds have a tough couple of weeks ahead of them, with a road trip to Angelo State to follow this week’s game.

Key players: A&M-Commerce, Richard Cooper, RB; Luis Perez, QB

Eastern New Mexico, Kamal Cass, RB; D'Maujeric Tucker, RB

Lions-Greyhounds All-time Series

-The Lions and Greyhounds are meeting for the 30th time in a series that dates back to 1984. The Greyhounds have a 15-14 lead in the series

-The Lions have won the last two matchups and are aiming for a third win in a row for the second time in series history.

-The home team has a decided advantage in this series, as the Lions have only won at Eastern New Mexico three times: 1984, 1995 and 2014.

-A Lions win would mark the first time A&M-Commerce has won on consecutive trips to visit the Greyhounds.

About the Greyhounds

-After last week, the Greyhounds lead NCAA Division II with 455 rushing yards per game (Harding is second (433.5 ypg). Eastern actually leads the entire NCAA: United States Air Force Academy (432.5 ypg) tops the FBS Division I, James Madison (405.0 ypg) leads the FCS Division I, and Merchant Marine Academy (411.0 ypg) leads the NCAA Division III.

-The Greyhounds are tied for sixth in Division II in total offense, ninth in time of possession, and 36th in scoring offense. Junior fullback Kamal Cass leads the NCAA Division II with 381 rushing yards. D'Maujeric Tucker is third in the LSC in rushing, while Tayshaun Gary is seventh, and Wyatt Strand 11th.

-The Greyhounds lead the LSC in time of possession at 35:38 per game and total offense (555 ypg).

-The Greyhounds rank fourth in the conference in rushing defense and third in third-down defense. Brad Hardin's 22 tackles ranks third in the league, while his two stops for a loss rank 18thCory Harris is tied for sixth in the LSC with a pair of sacks, while Todd Countee is tied for the LSC lead with three passes defended.

-Bailey Hale connected on a 25-yard field goal against Western New Mexico and is nine-for-ten on point-after-touchdown attempts.

-The Greyhounds rank third in the LSC in kickoff coverage. Tucker is third in the LSC in kick returns, while Chivasiay Gallagher ranks third in punt returns.

Lone Star Conference Players of the Week

A&M-Commerce sophomore kicker Kristov Martinez has been named the Lone Star Conference Special Teams Player of the Week, as announced by the conference office Monday morning. Martinez opened the scoring with a 38-yard field goal on the game's opening drive and extended the Lions lead with a 35-yard field goal late in the third quarter. Martinez was also a perfect 4-for-4 on PAT opportunities.

Eastern New Mexico junior running back Kamal Cass paced the Greyhounds with 232 rushing yards in Saturday’s Lone Star Conference win over Western New Mexico. The total was a career-best effort for the junior fullback and was a season-high in rushing yards for any LSC player. Cass scored Eastern New Mexico’s first two touchdowns of the game, both in the second quarter. The second touchdown came on a career-long 78-yard run. For his career, Cass has topped the century mark in nine games over three seasons. His performance was Eastern New Mexico’s first 200-yard game since E’lonSpight rushed for 217 in the 2014 LSC playoffs against Texas A&M-Kingsville, and the most since Michael Benton rushed for 243 at University of Central Oklahoma in the 2007 season.

Lions are LSC preseason favorites

-The Lions have won the last two Lone Star Conference regular season titles and picked up 19 of 28 available first place votes. The Lions' 269 points in the poll placed them above second-ranked Midwestern State with 254 points and eight first place votes.

- A&M-Commerce won all six LSC regular-The Lions rank fourth in the NCAA Division II in passing efficiency, fifth in turnover margin and are tied for the lead in red-zone offense. A&M-Commerce is second in the LSC in scoring and total offense. They also lead the league in pass offense. Lions quarterback Luis Perez is third in the country in passing efficiency. season games last season on the way to the Lions' first NCAA berth since 1995.

-A&M-Commerce has won its last seven regular-season LSC games and the last six regular-season LSC games played at Memorial Stadium.

-The Lions and Greyhounds are in the top five scoring offenses in the LSC; the Lions have the no. 5 scoring defense in the LSC.

-Both are the top conference teams in total offense.

-The Greyhounds lead the LSC in rushing offense; the Lions lead the LSC in passing offense.

-Greyhounds running back Kamal Cass is the no. 1 rusher in the LSC (190.5 ypg); teammate D'Maujeric Tucker is no. 3 (88.5 ypg). LSC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year Lions running back Richard Cooper is the no. 4 rusher. (87 ypg)

-After last week, the Greyhounds lead the NCAA Division II with 455 rushing yards per game and rank third in the LSC in kickoff coverage. 

Last week’s Lions game at a glance

A&M-Commerce 40, Delta State 28; Sept. 10; Cleveland, Miss.

- Lions quarterback Luis Perez completed 17 of 23 passes for 322 yards and 2 touchdowns to lead a Lions offense which did not turn over the ball.

Richard Cooper carried 22 times for 87 yards with touchdowns of 9 and 8 yards.

Lance Evans had 4 receptions for 123 yards and a 66-yard touchdown.

- Linebacker Hatari Byrd had 11 solo tackles and an interception with a 26-yard return.

- The Lions' defense did not allow Delta State to score with quarterback Tyler Sullivan on the field, picking off the Harlon Hill candidate 3 times.

- In addition to Byrd, Garrett Blubaugh and D.J. White picked Sullivan off.

-Lions linebacker Hatari Byrd is the NCAA Division II leader in solo tackles per game following an outstanding performance at Delta State. Byrd made 11 tackles, all solos, in the win over the Statesmen. He also recorded an interception.

-Byrd and Central Washington's Jackson Huerta are tied for the national lead at 11.0 solo tackles per game. No other players in the division are averaging more than 9.5 tackles per contest.

-Lions wide receiver Lance Evans is the Lone Star Conference's leading receiver following the Delta State game. The senior caught four passes for 123 yards and a touchdown of 66 yards. His 123.0 yards per game average is tops in the league and ranks 15th in the nation in receiving average.

-D'Arthur Cowan is also in the top 10 in the league rankings with his 84.0 yards per game, ranking seventh in the conference.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Gnkw-AC86o

Lifelong sports fan, Jasmine Baker, has been covering sports for KETR 88.9 since 2016, under the tutelage of Mark Haslett. She's co-hosted the award-winning student produced program 'Lions After Dark' and produced online content covering Lion Athletics. As an undergraduate she began her journalism career writing for student-run campus newspaper The East Texan. Jasmine has covered high school basketball playoffs, college and professional sports in the Dallas Metroplex. Her experience has allowed her to be a guest on various sports talk shows, including guest play-by-play with Charlie Chitwood. In the 2018 WNBA season she covered the Dallas Wings for High Post Hoops.