A&M-C upends WTAMU as LSC Men's Championship play continues
In a battle of the conference's two Newcomers of the Year, it was Texas A&M-Commerce senior Scooby Johnson leading the Lions to a 69-63 upset over top-seed West Texas A&M Wednesday in the LSC Tournament quarterfinals at Bruin Field House.
Johnson scored 19 points and hauled in eight rebounds, coupled with 19 points and nine rebounds from Kevin Widemond as the Lions (13-15) became just the second LSC team to defeat West Texas A&M this season.
The Buffaloes, who went 11-1 in the LSC regular season to earn the No. 1 seed in the South Division, received 24 points from senior guard Robert Lee, who was named the LSC South Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year in this week's awards banquet at Bartlesville.
Johnson, a senior transfer from Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, was a first-team All-LSC selection this season, averaging 20.8 points per game. Johnson nearly hit his average on Wednesday, but made enough tough baskets in the second half to lead the Lions to the upset.
The Lions, who just qualified for the tournament as the fourth seed in the LSC North, will advance to play Abilene Christian in Friday's semifinals. A&M-Commerce lost its only regular-season game with ACU 102-90 in an LSC crossover game on Jan. 12.
A&M-Commerce also lost its only regular-season meeting this year with West Texas A&M (72-65) back in November, along with a last-second defeat in last year's LSC tournament.
But the Lions were able to avenge both losses on Wednesday with clutch inside scoring down the stretch.
After Lee pulled West Texas to within two at 63-61 with 1:51 to play, Johnson answered with a short jumper, pushing the Lions' lead back to four. A layup by West Texas guard Pierre Barlow trimmed the lead back to two, but a pair of free throws by Lions guard Derrick Darkus with 20 seconds remaining gave Commerce a four-point edge. After a steal, Widemond tipped in a final basket for a six-point win.
Barlow was the only other Buffaloes player in double-figures with 11 points. West Texas made 16-of-17 free throws but connected on only 3-of-20 3-point attempts.
In the first half, the Buffaloes led by as much as 14, taking a 31-17 lead with 4:22 remaining before A&M Commerce closed the half on a 17-5 run, trimming the West Texas halftime lead to two, 36-34.
West Texas A&M notes
The Buffaloes tied a season-low with only three 3-point baskets. West Texas made three beyond the arc against Eastern New Mexico (Jan. 19) . . . West Texas also tied a season-high free-throw percentage at .941 on 16-of-17 attempts. The Buffs made 16-of-17 against Cameron on Jan. 10 . . . With 24 points against the Lions, Robert Lee recorded his 12th 20-point game this season and his 23rd consecutive game in double figures . . . The Buffaloes failed to win an LSC tournament game for the first time since the 2003-04 season when they lost to Northeastern State (65-52) . . . The Buffaloes ended A&M-Commerce's season 82-80 on a last-second dunk by Andre Hill in the final seconds in last year's LSC tournament.
A&M-C notes
Kevin Widemon and Scooby Johnson have scored in double-figures in the sane game 23 times this season...second time this season Scooby Johnson has hit multiple three-point buckets...this is the fifth game that TAMUC has won and scored less than 70 points...TAMUC has won four of its last five games...TAMUC's record in LSC Tournament games moves to 23-25...this is TAMUC's 28th appearance in the LSC Tournament, the most of any men's program...TAMUC picks up its first win in the LSC Tournament since picking up a 77-62 win over West Texas A&M in the championship game of the 2005 LSC Tourney.
A&M-C quotes
Head coach Sam Walker:
On team's competitiveness: "We have been in a lot of close games. We feel that we are not really a 12-15. All but two of our games have been decided by more that seven points. When we met West Texas A&M at their place, it was a one-point game with the shot clock turned off."
On the first-half comeback: "When you to this point, the teams are so good that it is hard to maintain the intensity so a 15-point lead can evaporate quickly. I think that is what might have happened with them and we picked up our intensity."
On facing Abilene Christian: "When it comes to this point in the season, you have used all your pre-game speeches. ACU is going to go up and down the floor and we are going to hang in there with them."
A&M-C senior Scooby Johnson:
On his play inside: "Coach told us that they were going to deny the wings and that was going to open up the inside. The guys were getting it inside and when they stopped that, we kicked it out."
A&M-C senior Kevin Widemond:
On taking out the number one seed: "We know we can play with anyone in the conference. We just have to do what we do and we can beat anyone."
WTAMU quotes
Coach Rick Cooper - general comments...
"I have to give all of the credit in the world to Texas A&M-Commerce. They beat us on the boards. Actually they crushed us on the boards and were very explosive.
Chris Hinz - on guarding Scooby Johnson...
"He's a really good player. He's tough to guard and he's very strong. He is one of the toughest players to play against.
Robert Lee - on getting in foul trouble early...
"I got in to some trouble early and I was doing some things in the game and I wasn't thinking. I should have thought about it first, but there's nothing I could do and I just kept going with the game.
