COMMERCE, Texas – A season-high six turnovers by the West Texas A&M football team led to 27 points for eighth-ranked Texas A&M-Commerce as the Lions posted a 36-0 victory Saturday afternoon as the Buffs fell to 5-4 on the year and 4-3 in Lone Star Conference play.  TAMUC improved to 7-1 and 6-1 in conference play with the win.

On a tough night offensively, the Buffs had 43 yards rushing for the game on 20 carries, while sophomore Ben Arbuckle went 26 of 39 for 241 yards and four interceptions.  He threw to ten different receivers as senior Devon Paye had a career-high ten receptions for 70 yards, while rushing for just three yards on ten carries.  Sophomore Chazz Slatinsky had a team-high ten tackles with nine solo stops, while junior Daelin Young had nine tackles with five solo stops and 1.5 tackles for loss.  Redshirt freshman Trent Canion led the team with 18 yards rushing.

TAMUC had 358 yards of offense with 139 on the round and 219 through the air.  Running back Richard Cooper had 105 yards on the ground on 26 carries and one score.  Quarterback Luis Perez was 18 of 24 for 215 yards and a score, while kicker Kristov Martinez went 3 for 3 in field goals.

The Buffs return home for Senior Day 2016 next Saturday at 6 p.m. against Angelo State at Kimbrough Memorial Stadium.  A total of 12 seniors will be playing their final home game in a WT uniform. 

The loss Saturday marked the first time the Buffs had been shutout since Oct. 5, 2002, in a 19-0 home loss to Angelo State and the first road shutout since a 43-0 loss at Northwestern Oklahoma State on Sept. 14, 2002.  It marked TAMUC's first shutout of the season as the Lions blanked University of Faith (Fla.) in the season-opener, but the game didn't count statistically as University of Faith isn't an accredited school.  It was the first true shutout for TAMUC since a 63-0 win at Tarleton State on Oct. 3, 2015. 

On a very windy day, the Buffs won the toss and deferred as TAMUC opened the game with the first possession as the Lions moved down field converting a 3^rd and six and a fourth and a 4^th and one to keep the drive alive.  TAMUC marched inside the six, but a chop block penalty moved the Lions back to the 21.  From there, Cooper rattled off a 13-yard run and then scored on a 3^rd and goal from the eight for a 6-0 lead.  Kicker Kristov Martinez hit the extra-point off the goal post as the Lions used an 11 play, 75-yard drive for 4:25. 

The Buffs had a great opening drive as Arbuckle found Paye out of the backfield for a 21-yard pass on and then he found sophomore P.J. Leonce on a 4^th and five for a first down.  Arbuckle then hit junior Eppy Henriques for a 19 yards and later, senior Christopher Gilchrist got a great catch on 3^rd and six for a first down at the TAMUC 19.  The Buffs moved inside the 15, but, on 4^th and two Arbuckle rushed for it and fumbled as Hatari Byrd forced it and TAMUC recovered. 

Both punters had great punts to get their teams out of jams early, but a 28-yard punt from junior John Cummings into a stiff wind set TAMUC up at the WT 37.  Perez found Darby Smith for a 34-yard pass down to the WT three.  The WT "D" stiffened and held the Lions to a field goal for a 9-0 lead with 9:02 left in the second. 

Arbuckle's pass was intercepted on the next possession as Perez hit Hayden Marsh for a 29-yard touchdown and a 16-0 lead moments later.  WT committed its second turnover as Paye fumbled on a 3^rd and one at the WT 49 with 6:15 left in the quarter. 

From there, Commerce used the remainder of the clock as it converted two third downs on the drive as Martinez hit a 23-yard field goal as time expired for a 19-0 lead.

WT took the ball in the third and had to punt deep from its own end.  The Buffalo defense stood tall on the Lions' first drive as Cooper was tackled by senior Alex Olson in the backfield on a 4^th and one marking the first time this season the Lions had not converted a fourth down as they led the nation in that category.

The momentum began to look as if it were going to swing back to the Buffs, but WT had to punt on it possession following the turnover on downs and then the defense once again forced TAMUC to punt.  WT punted as Shawn Hooks, the nation's fifth-leading punt returner, coughed it up as junior Gavin Nesbitt made the hit and junior Colton McDonald recovered at the TAMUC 38.  

Arbuckle's second pass of the drive was intercepted by Uriah Harris as the TAMUC 15 as he returned it 85 yards for a touchdown and a 26-0 lead with 7:51 left in the third.  Arbuckle then threw his third interception of the game and fifth WT turnover as TAMUC took over as the TAMUC 24.  Perez then hit D'Arthur Cowan for 26 yards to the WT seven on 3^rd and two from the Buff 33.  On a 3^rd and goal from the WT seven, the Lions tried a trick play and fumbled, but recovered back at the 21 forcing a field goal try from Martinez for a 29-0 lead with 14:09 left. 

With just over seven minutes left as the Buffs at the 50, TAMUC tallied its second pick-six of the game as Yusef Sterling-Lowe picked off Arbuckle for the fourth time in the game and returned it 54-yards for a score and a 36-0 lead.