A&M-Kingsville drops No. 5 A&M-Commerce Lion men 72-69
By Bill Powers, Texas A&M University-Commerce Sports Information Director
Feb 13, 2005
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COMMERCE – The Texas A&M University-Commerce men had their seven-game win steak snapped Saturday at Texas A&M-Kingsville’s Steinke Center, 72-69, in Lone Star Conference play when they lost a brief lead in the final minutes.

The Lions (18-4, 4-2 LSC South), ranked fifth in the National Association of Basketball Coaches Division II Poll and first in the NCAA Division II South Central region, bounced back from as many as nine points back to take a three-point lead into the final three minutes thanks to some late inside play from forward Kevin Carter.

The Javelinas (14-9, 5-3) held the Lions scoreless for nearly the final three minutes of the game, when the Lions had taken a 66-63 lead following a Jamart Miller foul shot. With 12 points off the bench, Javelina forward Chris White brought the game back within one point with a pair of free throws. He followed with a jumper smacked away by Lion center Nick Goellner.

Retaking the lead at 68-66 with 59 seconds on the clock, White recovered from the block to sink a jumper in the paint and land a free throw off a called defensive foul on Chris Fantroy. Juan Lanauze stretched the lead with a free throw after a foul by Kevin Walker, who had 15 points in his first start of the season.

Jamart Miller ushered the ball up court with 24 seconds remaining but missed a three-pointer long. Lanauze ended the Lions’ hopes after recovering the miss and being sent to the line following a desperation foul by the Lions.

Allen Walker almost did the improbable by nailing a spot up from behind the arc to cut the Javelina advantage to 71-69 with four seconds remaining. But the Lions had their chances ended when they failed to steal the ensuing inbound pass.

The Javelinas defeated their second top-five team this season, while shooting 41.4 percent from the field on 24-of-58 field goals. The Lions only brought 37.9 percent on 22 of 58.

Quendale Allensworth scored a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Robert Hamilton and Richard Gonzalez each added 14 points in the win. Gonzalez made the biggest lead, a nine-point advantage, for the Javelinas with a free throw with 6:15 in the second half. That was after the taking a 48-46 lead into the break. Juan Lanauze finished with 10 rebounds and nine rebounds.

Kevin Carter led the Lions back with a pair of free throws. Jonathan Hopkins gave the Lions their first extended lead, 64-63, of the second half with dunk back at 3:52. Allen Walker sunk 13 points, while Carter contributed 10 points in 14 minutes.

The Lion men, who are tied for first in the LSC South with Midwestern State, are in action Thursday at 8 p.m. in the A&M-C Field House against Eastern New Mexico. The Lion women play in the first game of the double header at 6 p.m.