ACU falls to Commerce, 79-67

Saturday, December 12

Commerce

4 PM

Abilene Christian

Texas A&M-Commerce

12/12/2009 9:06:24 PM | Men's Basketball

COMMERCE -- Texas A&M-Commerce used a 15-5 run midway through the second half Saturday afternoon to pull away from ACU and grab a 79-67 victory over the Wildcats in a Lone Star Conference men's crossover basketball game at TAMC Field House.

The loss drops the Wildcats to 4-3, whle the Lions improve to 7-1. ACU will be back in action Monday at 7 p.m. when it takes on Texas-Permian Basin in Odessa in a non-conference game.

ACU trailed throughout the first half and was down by six points at halftime before a quick burst out of the locker room tied the gamea at 39-39 with 17:17 left in the game. Commerce answered with a 5-0 spurt to regain the lead before ACU answered with a 10-5 run of its own to tie the game at 49-49 with 14:10 left in the contest.

Eddie Thompson -- who led the Wildcats with 19 points -- capped the run with a 3-pointer to produce the game's fifth and final tie score.

Commerce, though, answered with a 15-5 run over the next 6:50 to take control of the contest. Preston Whitley got the run started with a three-point play at the 13:25 mark and Cardell Hunter put the wraps on the run and the game by hitting a pair of free throws to give the Lions a 64-54 lead with 7:30 to play.

ACU got as close as six points with 41 seconds left (73-67) on another 3-pointer by Thompson, but the Lions hit six free throws in the final 40 seconds to take the victory.

Thompson led the Wildcats in scoring with 19 points, followed by Abby Kabba with 12 points off the bench. Giordan Cole had 11 points and four rebounds for ACU.