It was quite a week in Lion Hoops for both Men and Women. Big wins, heartbreaking losses, and everything in between. Let’s take a look.

Lion Women-

On January 6th, the Lion Women traveled to the South Plains to face West Texas A&M, and had a major letdown against the Lady Buffs. It was a rough game to watch. The Lion Women were ranked # 2 in the country but everyone who has followed the LSC knows the WT Women are always a tough out, and the Lion Women found out the hard way, but the Lady Buffs shot the ball a LOT more than the Lion Women did. Their field goal percentage was not great, but they took more shots and hit more shots. Also, the free throw line played a huge role in the loss, as the Lion Women missed 11 free throws, but the Lady Buffs hit 13-17 from the stripe. It played a huge role, no doubt.

There was some doubting as to whether the Lion Women would respond in the annual Fill the Fieldhouse game, but they did against # 2 ranked Lubbock Christian. The Lady Chaps came to Commerce on a high note, but unlike the last game, the game was a back and forth affair where LCU actually led 36-28 at the half, but the Lion Women had a tremendous 3rd quarter, outscoring LCU 25-13 and gutting out a tough fourth quarter, but that was enough to give the Lion Women their 2nd win at home against LCU in Commerce. Here is a note-LCU has NEVER beaten the Lion Women in Commerce. The two teams will not face each other again probably until the LSC tournament, and even with that, it will probably be the LSC Championship game.

Eastern New Mexico came to the Fieldhouse Saturday and the Lady Greyhounds took an absolute beating at the hands of the Lion Women via a 94-65 win. It was a game where from the start, the Lion Women just scored at will and having beaten the second ranked team in the country, the confidence interval was no doubt pulsating at an all-time high. It was no competition on Saturday as the Lion Women pushed their record to 13-1 overall and 2-1 in LSC play.

Going Forward-

The Lion Women face Texas-Tyler on Tuesday night at The Fieldhouse before heading way out west to Western New Mexico for a Thursday night tilt, and then returning Saturday for a Saturday afternoon tilt with Midwestern State. New Polls will see if the Lion Women will return back to the # 2 spot they had before their loss to West Texas.

Lion Men-

It was a tough week, as the Lions came in at 10-1 and ranked # 19 in the country, but West Texas once again broke the Lions heart in Canyon, but WT is a very strong team and it was a 10 point loss. It was rough to watch as both teams shot roughly 45% from the field, but the 3 pointer killed the Lions as the Buffs shot 40% from behind the arc while the Lions shot 30%. When you look at the box scores, that was the game. Needless to say, it was a long bus ride back to Commerce.

Lubbock Christian, # 1 and undefeated came to Commerce, and for just a moment, it looked like the Lions were going to pull it off at the end, but the LCU Chaps showed why they were the best team in the country and scored the final 6 points of the game to pull away and win by a 4 point margin. It was a tough pill to swallow, made tougher by the fact that Lion Point Guard Carson Tuttle was out of action and the Lions missed his game management and scoring. Everyone talked about how this was a game the Lions were in the entire time, but LCU just had a little bit more in the tank left. HC Jaret von Rosenberg made it very clear they had to put this one behind them and beat Eastern New Mexico at home.

Saturday Afternoon was an absolute shooting clinic at the Lions hit 18 3-pointers to cruise to a 92-60 victory in Commerce. It was exactly what was needed to counter the rough ending to the previous two games, and it was a very much needed win to push the Lions to 11-3 overall and 3-2 in LSC play.

Going forward-

The Lion Men face Texas-Tyler at home on Tuesday night and then head out to Western New Mexico, which could easily be a trap game, that Thursday. They have a while off before facing Texas A&M-Kingsville on the 27th in Commerce.