COMMERCE, Texas – The Angelo State women's basketball team was unable to hang on to a 32-27 halftime lead falling to Texas A&M-Commerce 78-74 on the road Saturday afternoon.

The Belles are now 8-4 on the season and 3-3 in the Lone Star Conference while the Lions improve to 8-5 and 5-1 in the LSC. ASU was able to make seven 3-pointers and hit 40.3 percent from the field for the game. TAMUC was able to get to the free throw line 38 times making 26 and scored 12 second chance points off 16 offensive rebounds.

Four players scored in double figures for ASU led by 15 from Ekiya Gray and Dezirae Hampton. Gray also grabbed eight rebounds while Hampton made three 3-pointers. Marquita Daniels added 13 points, seven assists and four steals and De'Anira Moore chipped in 10 points and nine rebounds.  

The Belles held a 57-54 lead after three quarters but the Lions started the fourth on a 7-2 run to flip the lead in favor of TAMUC at 62-59. Daniels hit a layup and moments later stole the ball for another layup to take the advantage back at 63-62. Tied at 65 with 4:47 to go in the game, Texas A&M-Commerce scored seven straight points to go up 72-65 but a 3-pointer by Keanna Kelly cut the deficit to 72-68. It would be as close as ASU would get as TAMUC held on for a 78-74 win. The Lions hit 58.8 percent from the field in the fourth quarter while the Belles shot 38.9 percent.

The Belles excelled in the second quarter to build a five point halftime lead. Angelo State hit 57.1 percent from the field including seven straight field goals at one point. The two teams traded the lead through the first six minutes of the quarter until a layup by Madi Greenwood sparked a 10-3 run. Kynese Davis hit an old fashioned 3-point play with a jumper and a free throw and Hampton capped it off with a jumper to make it 29-23. A layup by Gray closed out the half to give ASU a 32-27 advantage.

Angelo State continued to lead throughout the third quarter and were helped by three 3-pointers on three straight possessions. Hampton hit two of the 3-pointers while Daniels made one as the Belles built a 46-37 lead with 5:02 to go in the third quarter. The Lions responded with an 11-1 run to regain the lead at 48-47 with 2:19 left in the third. ASU didn't let TAMUC keep the lead long as Gray hit a jumper with 1:29 left. The Belles would lead 57-54 going into the deciding fourth quarter.

ASU trailed after one quarter 12-11 as both teams struggled offensively to start the game. The Belles held TAMUC scoreless for the first 5:30 of the first quarter and built a 6-1 advantage. The Lions responded with a 6-0 run of their own to take a 7-6 lead with 3:00 to go in the first quarter. A 3-pointer by Kelly gave the lead back to ASU but a bucket by TAMUC with four seconds left made it 12-11 after one quarter.

The Belles will return to Stephens Arena at the Junell Center to host No. 2 West Texas A&M at 5:30 p.m. on Thurs., Jan. 11.