MAGNOLIA, Ark. – The Southern Arkansas women's basketball team welcomed in Texas A&M-Commerce to the W.T. Watson Center for a non-conference game on Saturday afternoon, but it was A&M-Commerce that would leave with a victory as they out-lasted SAU by a score of 54-52.
 
Saturday's game would be a defensive struggle between the two squads as each team held the other under 40% shooting from the floor while also generating at least 29 turnovers while on defense. In the first half alone, the two teams would combine to commit 32 turnovers with the Lady Muleriders (3-3) forcing 17 of those turnovers. The stout defensive effort on both ends of the court, particularly early in the game, resulted in just 49 combined points being scored at the conclusion of the first half.
 
In that first half, however, the Lady Muleriders would hold an edge in nearly all statistical categories as they were able to take control of the game at the 13:25 mark of the first half. It was at that point that the Lady Muleriders broke a five-all tie on a layup by Shunta Nevitt. For the rest of the first half, the Lady Muleriders would hold a lead over the Lions (3-2), eventually taking a three-point cushion, 26-23, into the break.
 
Coming out of the break, the Lady Muleriders would hold their lead until the 13:23 mark of the second half when the Lions' Natalie Hessong buried a three-pointer, giving A&M-Commerce a 30-29 lead. Another three-pointer by Hessong followed about a minute later, capping a 9-0 run by the Lions.
 
Over the next three and half minutes of the game, the Lady Muleriders would remain within one possession of the Lions, but a 4-0 burst by A&M-Commerce would stake the Lions to their largest lead of the game, seven points, 42-35, with 8:02 left in the game.
 
The Lady Muleriders would quickly erase that seven-point deficit, however, and knotted the game at 42-all with 6:31 left in regulation. Junior Rosa Bryant was a catalyst within that run as she nailed a pair of free throws to start the run and followed that with a completed old-fashioned three-point play. Allie Wade would cap the run with a layup.
 
Despite having their lead disappear, the Lions would not relinquish their lead at that point as they staved off the Lady Mulerider surge over the next four minutes of the game. With 2:16 left in the game, however, the Lady Muleriders would regain the lead as Bryant picked up a layup to give SAU a one-point lead, 50-49.
 
On the next trip down the court, however, the Lions would answer back with a layup of their own as Kiana Evans put the Lions back on top, 51-50, with 2:00 remaining. Just over 15 seconds later, the back-and-forth tussel continued as Wade gave SAU a one-point lead once more on a made jumper with 1:44 left.
 
Just under a minute later, the Lady Muleriders would be whistled for a foul on defense, sending the Lions' Abigail Leaupepe-Tele to the line for two shots. Leaupepe-Tele would sink both attempts, giving the Lions a one-point lead, 53-52, with 41 seconds left.

On SAU's next trip down the floor, their go-ahead shot attempt would not fall, forcing the Lady Muleriders to foul with just five seconds left. The SAU foul sent Princess Davis to the line for A&M-Commerce and she would make the first attempt, but draw iron on the second. On the rebound, the ball would go out of bounds, last touching a Lion, allowing SAU one-last chance to tie the game or win it with a buzzer-beating three-pointer.
 
The final chance would not develop, however, as the Lions clamped down in the full-court defense, denying the Lady Muleriders a chance to get any shot off before the final buzzer sounded.
 
Statistcally, the Lady Muleriders would have three players score in double figures with Bryant leading all scorers with 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting. Behind Bryant was Nevitt with 13 points, and Wade rounded out double-figure scoring with 10 points. Wade would also lead the team in rebounding (eight), and steals (three).
 
The Lady Muleriders will now play an exhibition game against the University of Louisiana-Monroe (Division I) on Sunday, November 30. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. in Monroe, Louisiana.