Lions settle LSC's lower tier with 81-73 win over ENMU

COMMERCE, Texas — Eastern New Mexico University took nearly eight minutes to turn a 13-point second-half deficit into a two-point lead, and stayed within a basket for much of the final nine minutes.

But Texas A&M-Commerce made the plays when it need them, and held on for an 81-73 victory to finalize the lower tier of a still-murky Lone Star Conference playoff picture.

Ronnie White scored 17 points to lead four players in double figures for the Lions (17-9, 6-7 LSC), who settled the final three teams in the LSC with the win.

The Lions are locked into sixth, Texas A&M-Kingsville (11-3, 3-10) seventh and ENMU (6-19, 2-11) eighth with one week to play.

Ladarius Stewart scored a game-high 20 points and helped ENMU take a 55-53 with a 19-4 second-half burst.

But just as quickly, Commerce answered back, as Isaac Asrat hit a 3-pointer for his only basket and the final lead change of the night. ENMU stayed within one possession for most of the remaining time, but never led again.

The Greyhounds are idle until Saturday’s regular-season finale at home against West Texas A&M, which lost at Tarleton State and fell into a four-way tie for second place with Angelo State, Tarleton and Cameron.

All eight LSC teams qualify for the LSC’s postseason tournament, scheduled for March 2-5 at Allen, Texas.

The Hounds are a game back of Texas A&M-Kingsville, which pulled off a 77-69 win at Cameron on Saturday, but they cannot overtake the Javelinas via LSC tiebreakers.

The conference handles ties first by head-to-head results, then records against the other LSC teams in descending order of finish and finally via coin flip.

Even with a win over WT and a Javelinas loss at home to Angelo State to put both teams at 3-11 in LSC play, ENMU would still need WT to finish ahead of Cameron. The Aggies, who will host current LSC leader Midwestern State, would hold the tiebreaker over the Buffs even with a loss, due to their Jan. 30 road win against the Mustangs.