Lions Match Best Start Since 2002-03 with 84-77 Win Over Angelo State

Texas A&M University-Commerce hit 50% of its shots from the field and made 24 of 37 free throws in an 84-77 win over Angelo State on Monday night at the A&M-Commerce Field House.

A&M-Commerce (8-1) is off to its best start since the 2002-03 campaign. Sophomore Brad Hambrick scored a career-high 25 points on the strength of five 3 pointers in the win.

He was joined in double figures by the latest LSC North Division Defensive Player of the Week, Ronnie Morgan, who had 14 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks and Dallas Hunter came off the bench for a career-high 12 points. It is the third double double of the season for Morgan.

Angelo State (5-3) was led by LaMarshall Corbett, who scored a game-high 36 points on six 3 pointers and 10 for 11 from the free-throw line to lead the Rams in the defeat. Starvon Williams, who had 20 points, including five more three pointers for the Rams, joined him in double figures. 50% of the field goals for the game were 3 pointers for ASU, who had 13 3-pointers in the contest. The last A&M-Commerce opponent to hit 13 3 pointers in a game was Southwestern Oklahoma State, last season on February 4.

The Rams held a brief 22-18 advantage with 10:51 to go in the opening half. Until A&M-Commerce answered with five-straight points from Preston Whitley that put the Lions ahead by a 23-22 margin and for the remainder of the contest. Back-to-back three pointers would get ASU as close as four in the early stage of the second half and again, they would manage to cut the deficit to two, 79-77, with 31 seconds.

With the two-point lead, Hambrick made four free throws down the stretch and Brian Singleton made one of two to seal the win for A&M-Commerce.

The Lions will next take to the road to face Eastern New Mexico on Saturday at 9 pm (CST) in Portales and West Texas A&M on Monday at 8 pm in Canyon. Both games can be heard live on KETR (88.9 FM/www.ketr.org).