Box Score MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Texas A&M-Commerce nailed 15 three-pointers and shot 54 percent from beyond the arc in handing Southern Arkansas a 96-88 loss in non-conference action Wednesday at the W.T. Watson Athletic Center.
 
The win gave the Lions a sweep of the Muleriders this season, having claimed a 74-67 decision in Commerce November 26.
 
Stefon Carson and Preston Whitley hit a combined 11 of 16 three-pointers for the Lions (9-3), with Carson scoring 26 points and Whitley 22.
 
The Muleriders (5-4) were led by senior guard Chris Davis' (North Little Rock) career-high 28 points.  Junior forward Nigel Jones (Wadley, Ala.) recorded his fourth consecutive and fifth double-double of the season with 15 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.
 
A&M-Commerce shot lights out in hitting 15 of 28 three-pointers (53.6 percent) and was 29 of 54 (53.7 percent) overall for the game.  They canned 9 of 13 treys in the first half alone in building a 52-38 halftime lead.
 
SAU had a respectable long-distance night also, finishing with 10 of 25 treys (40 percent), with senior guard Daviel Clements (Jesup, Ga.) knocking down four and scoring 16 points.
 
Southern Arkansas shot 44.6 percent from the floor on 33 of 74.
 
The Lions led throughout, building 16-point margins four times in the second half.  The Muleriders stayed in it, but just couldn't seem to get over the hump.  They trailed 71-55 with 11 minutes left in the game and rallied with an 18-9 run to cut it to 80-73 at four minutes, but were never closer the rest of the way.
 
SAU closed a 13-point first half deficit down to a 41-37 game with 1:52 left in the first half, but the Lions closed out the frame with an 8-1 run.
 
Carson scored 19 of his 26 points in the first half, finishing with five treys in the game, while Whitley had 19 of his 22 in the second and had six treys.  Tyree Wooten added three treys in scoring 11 points and dished out six assists.  Jason Smith scored 14 points and had nine rebounds.
 
Davis shot 11 of 15 from the floor, with a pair of three-pointers, and hit 4 of 5 free throws in totaling his 28 points, and also had five assists.
 
Southern Arkansas hurt itself with turnovers, committing 25 that the Lions converted into 30 points.  A&M-Commerce had 15 turnovers.
 
The Muleriders have a two week break over the holidays and don't play again until returning to Great American Conference play January 3 in Durant, Okla., in a 7:30 p.m. tip-off against Southeastern Oklahoma State.