Spraggins hits game-winner to lift A&M-Commerce past East Central, 76-74

DeUndrae Spraggins drove the lane and dropped in a layup with 5.2 seconds remaining to lift the Texas A&M University-Commerce Lions past the East Central Tigers, 76-74, in Lone Star Conference North Division play on Thursday night in Ada, Okla.

A&M-Commerce then put a full-court press defense on the Tigers, who were unable to get a shot off before time expired.

The Lions now jump to 11-8 on the season and 2-2 in division play, while ECU drops to 6-14 and 1-3.

An 8-0 run by the Lions late in the second half broke a 59-59 tie, but Tyler Thetford stopped the spurt and helped East Central roll off 10 straight points to take a 69-67 lead with 4:13 remaining.

After three lead changes and two ties down the stretch, Spraggins hit the game-winner to seal the victory. It's the second straight season that A&M-Commerce has hit a last second shot to win the game at East Central after Scooby Johnson did the same last year.

ECU jumped out early on the Lions and took a 23-11 lead at the 9:25 mark in the first. A&M-Commerce finished the half on a 23-9 run and forced ECU to just 33.3 percent shooting from the floor to take a 34-31 lead into the half.

Spraggins paced the Lions with 25 points, followed by 11 each from Ronnie Morgan and Brad Hambrick. Dallas Hunter scored six points and picked up two steals in his first action with the Lions.

Dontae Figgs tallied a game-high 29 points, and Cory Nicholson, Ian Adams and Thetford all chipped in 11. Justin Wilkerson posted a game-high 15 rebounds.

The Lions now turn their attention to Southeastern Oklahoma State on Saturday at 4 p.m. in the A&M-Commerce Field House.