By Jordan Ader | Sports Reporter

Texas A&M-Commerce guard Princess Davis reached 1,000 career points in the Lions’ 86-79 overtime victory at home against Saint Edward’s University Nov. 16.

Davis, a redshirt senior, scored her 1,000^th point with the first of two free throws early in the second quarter. The 2017-18 Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Honorable Mention All-American is the 13^th Lion to eclipse the 1000-point mark, along with being second all-time in school history for career assists.

Five Lions scored in double-figures in the game, paced by forward Ekaterina Zhibareva’s 17 points. Guard Mykiel Burleson’s 10 rebounds led the team as she earned a 13-point double-double. Davis finished the contest with 16 points and six rebounds while leading the Lions with four assists and six steals.

A&M-Commerce had their best game of the year offensively as they scored a season-high 86 points while shooting 43.5 percent from the field and 31.3 percent from beyond the arc. They also set season highs in offensive (21) and total (46) rebounds while more than doubling their season-high in steals with 18.

The first quarter was a neck-and-neck battle that brought seven lead changes and five tied scores after the initial basket. A pair of three-pointers by guards Tahnia McDaniel and Chania Wright were the Lion highlights of the first quarter as they filled in the rest of the scoring with jumpers near the paint and free throws. Neither team could build a lead larger than five during the quarter, which ended with the teams tied at 18.

The Lions started the second quarter with eight unanswered points that sparked a 12-3 run as they dominated the first five minutes of the frame. St. Edward’s struck back with two straight threes and a transition layup as they forced back-to-back Lion turnovers and brought the lead down to one. The Lions were able to get some breathing room with a pair of scores in the paint and a fast break jumper to end the half ahead 36-31.

The Lions shot just over 43 percent from the field in the first half and picked St. Edward’s pocket eight times. Half of A&M-Commerce’s 36 points were scored from within the paint.

The Lions started the third quarter with another eight straight points, but much like the previous frame, St. Edward’s answered back with a run of their own. The Lions were able to stop the run before it did any damage and carry out the remaining six-point lead to hold a 56-50 advantage at the end of the third quarter.

St. Edward’s shot out of the gates in the fourth with a pair of threes and a layup to take the lead for the first time since the closing minutes of the first quarter. Burleson tied the game for the Lions at 60 with two free throws and quickly re-tied it at 62 after a layup by St. Edward’ss.

After St. Edward’s took a 64-62 lead, the Lions roared back with three baskets in the paint and a pair of free throws to take a six-point lead with just over a minute left. However, in the final minute the Lions were held to a single free throw as St. Edward’s made four free throws and a three-pointer to tie the game at 69 and send it to overtime.

St. Edward’s took the first overtime lead with an early fade-away from the block, but Burleson took it right back with a corner three and Davis sank two free throws to give the Lions a three-point lead. Wright kept A&M-Commerce in the lead with a three-pointer sandwiched between two St. Edward’s jumpers, marking her third basket from deep.

After St. Edward’s tied the game with a jump shot in the paint, Wright threaded the needle to Davis on a back-door cut and Davis finished the layup to take the lead, which they would not lose again. Wright hit yet another three-pointer to push the lead to five with just over a minute left, then Zhibareva and Davis iced the game with a pair of free throws each.

The Lions will look to carry this momentum into their home matchup against St. Mary’s Nov. 20 at 6 p.m. in the Field House. A&M-Commerce lost 57-59 on the road in an overtime thriller last year when they faced off in San Antonio.