Texas A&M University-Commerce had four Lions score in double figures for the sixth time in the 2014-15 season after cruising to 91-67 win over Eastern New Mexico Wednesday night in the Field House in Lone Star Conference action.
Darrell Williams collected his eighth 20-point game of the season with a game-high 26 points. It was also his fifth 20-point game in the last six contests for the Lions. For the second time this season the Lions had two 20 point scorers with LaDon Carnegie chipping in 22 points on an efficient 6-of-13 shooting from the floor and 10-of-11 from the free throw line. JR Owns and Everrett Pleasant each chipped in 11 points. Pleasant recorded back-to-back double-figure scoring games for the first time this season after notching a career-high 14 points against McMurry in Saturday's game.
The Lions held for the first 8:36 of the game before the Greyhounds took an 18-17. The one-point deficit snapped the Lions 109:41 streak of not trailing in game going all the way back to the first half of the Kingsville game.
A&M-Commerce answered with a 17-4 run capped off by a thunderous Pleasant dunk to give the Lions a 12-point advantage, 34-22, with just under four minutes left to play in the first half. The run was all A&M-Commerce needed to put the Greyhounds away and improve to 14-3 overall and 3-1 in the LSC with the 91-67 win. ENMU slipped to 7-11 on the year and winless in five tries in LSC action.
The Lions knocked down over 50 percent of their shots for only the fourth time this season, but for the second time in as many games after shooting 53 percent on the evening, while Eastern New Mexico converted 42 percent of its field goal attempts. Neither team shot especially well from long range with the Lions going 3-of-10 for 30 percent, and the Greyhounds hitting on seven of their 26 attempts for 26 percent from behind the arc.
The Lions dominated the glass, 43-35, and the paint with 56 points in the paint compared to just 30 for the Greyhounds. A&M-Commerce's defensive pressure forced 19 turnovers which led to 27 points for the Lions.
A&M-Commerce ended its three-game home stand and will travel to West Texas A&M for its next contest with tipoff out in Canyon set for 4 p.m. Saturday, January 24. The Lions will return home with Angelo State Wednesday, 28 for their next game back in the Field House.