COMMERCE, Texas – Despite much improved shooting by the West Texas A&M Lady Buffs, 22 turnovers proved costly in a 78-60 setback at Texas A&M-Commerce Saturday afternoon.  With the loss, WT fell to 13-6 overall and finished the first half of the Lone Star Conference slate at 6-4.  TAMUC improved to 13-5 and 7-3 in league play. 

TAMUC used a 16-0 run over the final 4:43, as WT turned it over six times down the stretch, for the win.  The Lions snapped a 15-game winning streak by the Lady Buffs and a seven-game winning streak by WT in Commerce.  WT last loss in Commerce on Mar. 3, 2007, 81-71.  It also marked the largest win in series history at 18 points as WT fell to 52-6 all-time in the series.   It also marked the first time since the beginning of the 2012-13 conference season WT lost back-to-back regular season LSC games as the Lady Buffs started league play that year 0-3.

The Lady Buffs had three starters in double figures as senior Maddison Wild had a team-high 17 points on seven of 12 from the field with three triples and a team-high six rebounds.  Senior Alie Decker had 12 points on four triples, and senior Sasha Watson added 11 points and six assists.  WT shot 44.2 percent for the game on 23 of 52 from the field, while going eight of 19 from beyond the arc (.421) and just six of eight from the line.

TAMUC had four starters in double figures led by 17 points from Artaejah Gay who went seven of 10 from the field with two triples.  Khala Riley had 15 points and a game-high eight rebounds, while going a perfect nine of nine from the line.  The Lions shot 45.3 percent for the game on 24 of 53, while shooting seven of 15 from beyond the arc and 23 of 27 from the line. 

WT held a 31-26 lead in rebounding over the nation's 13^th-ranked rebounding team at 46.3 per game, but TAMUC outscored the Lady Buffs 36-18 in points off turnovers as WT committed 23 miscues to just 13 for the Lions.  The game saw seven ties and seven lead changes.  TAMUC had just eight fouls in the game and WT fouled 22 times.

In a half of runs, TAMUC jumped out to the early lead at 6-2, but the Lady Buffs took a 9-8 lead with a triple from Decker as WT used a 16-4 run for a 22-13 lead capped with a triple from freshman Lexy Hightower with 47 seconds left in the first. 

The Lady Buffs scored the first bucket of the second quarter, but a TAMUC run of 13-0 from the 7:54 mark capped by a pair of charity tosses from Krystal Pickron at the 4:18 mark.  Decker buried her second triple of the half ending the run as WT tied the game later on a pair of free throws from junior Sydney Walton at 33 with 1:51 left.  TAMUC had the answer, once again, scoring the final six points of the half for a 39-33 lead at intermission.  It was the first time WT trailed at halftime since Dec. 17 vs. Eckerd spanning the last six games. 

For the half, WT improved its shooting from Thursday going 13 of 26 from the field and 4 of 9 from beyond the arc, but went just 3 of 3 from the line.  The Lady Buffs held a 16-10 lead in rebounding over a team who entered the game leading the league averaging 46.3 rebounds per game, which is 13^th nationally.  Decker paced the team with six points on two triples. 

Despite the strong shooting and rebounding, 12 turnovers – seven in the second half proved costly as TAMUC led 19-8 in points off turnovers as the Lions had just six miscues.  TAMUC went 12 of 27 from the field (.444) and was five of ten from beyond the arc.  The Lions earned multiple trips to the line going 10 of 13.  Gay led all-scorers with 13 points in the opening half on five of six from the field and two triples. 

The 21^st turnover by the Lady Buffs led to the Lions pushing the lead back to six.  Two offensive rebounds and a bucket from Pickron tied the Lions' largest lead of the day at 68-60 with 2:19 left.  Another Lady Buff turnover led to a bucket from Jenna Price and a timeout by WT. 

The Lady Buffs quickly erased the six-point deficit early in the third as senior Madison Wild buried a triple and a pair of jumpers from Watson for a 43-41 lead with 7:29 left in the quarter.  Gay answered at the other end for the Lions for the sixth tie of the game. 

No team garnered more than a three-point advantage the rest of the quarter and Pickron added two free throws for a 53-50 lead at the end of the frame. 

In the fourth, TAMUC continued its run with a pair of early buckets for a 57-50 lead, but Decker hit her third triple getting the Lady Buffs on the board in the frame at 57-53 with just over seven minutes left. 

Decker buried her fourth triple for a 59-56 deficit with six minutes left.  A steal and layup from Watson cut the deficit to 59-58 on the ensuing TAMUC possession. 

WT will continue on the road next week at Eastern New Mexico and Western New Mexico.  All of the action can be heard one 98.7 JACK FM throughout the Texas Panhandle and online at www.gobuffsgo.com on the women's basketball schedule page.