The Texas A&M University-Commerce men’s basketball 2014-15 season came to a stunning conclusion with an 85-79 loss to Angelo State in the opening round of the NCAA South Central Regional Tournament in Stephenville on March 14.
A&M-Commerce, which dominated opponents on the boards most of season, was outrebounded by Angelo State. The Rams held a 43-36 edge on the glass, with a 25-11 edge during the Lions’ possessions.
The loss ends a successful season for A&M-Commerce (24-8), which won the 2015 Lone Star Conference Championship with a 68-61 defeat of Angelo State on March 7 in Allen. The Rams (24-5) advance to play the winner of the first-round game between Metro State (Colo.) and Midwestern State.
The Lions enjoyed a slim 33-32 advantage at halftime, thanks in part to a couple of three-point shots from senior forward LaDon Carnegie that helped erase a nine-point deficit with about six minutes remaining in the first.
Angelo State took the lead back with the first basket of the second half and never trailed for the remainder of the game. The Rams were up by 12 with 11:01 left in the half and their lead hovered back and forth between double and single digits until the final buzzer. A&M-Commerce junior guard J.R. Owens sank a three-pointer at 3:38 of the second half to close the gap to five, but Angelo State responded with a 7-0 run to shut the door on the Lions’ hope for a rally.
Angelo State’s senior forward Demario Mayfield led all scorers with 24 points (7-15, 1-4, 9-15), while the Rams’ senior guard was close behind with 22 (7-13, 6-12, 2-2).
Senior forward Darrell Williams paced A&M-Commerce with 22 points (9-18, 0-1, 4-7). Williams, the 2015 Lone Star Conference Most Valuable Player and LSC Tournament MVP, had the best day of any of the Lions. No other A&M-Commerce player finished with double-digit rebound numbers. Three Lions finished with double-digit scoring totals, including Carnegie with 13 (4-11, 3-8, 22). Senior post Christian Macauley tallied 11 and had the best scoring touch, percentage wise, of any Lion (4-5, 0-0, 3-3). Junior guard Anthony Adams also scored 11 (4-11, 1-5, 2-2).
On the boards, Williams was most of the story for A&M-Commerce with 18, while Macauley hauled down six. The rest of the Lions combined for just seven rebounds.
A&M-Commerce’s 24-8 record is the best since 2004-05, when season when the Lions finished 28-5. The Lions are 5-5 in NCAA Tournament games. The 2014-15 season was the fifth NCAA Tournament appearance for the school and the first since 2004-05.
