Texas A&M Commerce's first trip to the NCAA Division II Women's Elite Eight was a one-game experience as the Lone Star Conference champions dropped a physical contest to Clayton State, 60-55, in a national quarterfinal game at the Health & Sports Center in Kearney, Neb.

The NCAA South Central Region champion Lions end their season 28-9, while Clayton State advances to Thursday's national semifinals to play the winner of the North Dakota-Florida Gulf Coast game.

The Lions went into halftime down by just one point, 29-28, despite trailing by nine with 9:14 remaining in the first period. A 13-5 run started with a Tradawn Short jumper got the Lions right back into the game.

However, a sub-par shooting performance and an injury to Kanani Marshal hurt A&M-C in the second half. The Lions shot well below their season average (45.1 percent) with a 10-for-36 (27.8 percent) showing in the final 20 minutes of play.

For the game, the Lions were 22-of-69 (31.9 percent) including 4-of-30 from behind the three-point arc.

Marshal went down during a scramble for a rebound with 2:28 left in the game and did not return. The LSC North Division Player of the Year finished her collegiate career with nine points.

A&M-C built a pair of five-point leads early in the second half as the game went back-and-forth. A three-pointer by Britney Jordan put the Lions ahead 34-29 before Short hit a lay-up to keep A&M-C in front.

CSU took the lead for good at the 6:16 mark with a jumper by Marie St. Fort.

Short led the Lions with a game-high 18 points, while Jordan added 12 points.

The Lakers had three players in double figures led by Crystal Brown with 15 points.