BEAUMONT, Texas (Interstat) — A dominant second-quarter surge and a standout performance from hometown guard Jacei Denley propelled the Lamar Lady Cardinals to a 66-56 victory over the Texas A&M-Commerce Lions in a women’s NCAA Division I basketball game Thursday night at the Montagne Center.

Lamar improved to 11-6 overall, while Texas A&M-Commerce fell to 7-10.

The game’s decisive stretch came in the second period. After a competitive first quarter that ended with Lamar leading 18-15, the Lady Cardinals seized control with a 21-point outburst in the second frame. They held the Lions to just 14 points, building a 39-29 halftime advantage they would not relinquish. Lamar’s offensive efficiency was the key, as they shot 5 of 10 from three-point range for the game, compared to a frigid 3-of-20 performance from beyond the arc by the Lions. Lamar also forced 20 Texas A&M-Commerce turnovers, converting them into 13 points.

Denley, a Beaumont native, orchestrated the Lamar offense with precision, finishing with a game-high 19 points and eight assists in 34 minutes. Her playmaking was instrumental in Lamar’s ball movement, which resulted in 13 team assists. She added a steal and a block. Denley’s backcourt partner, Shaila Forman of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, contributed 10 points, while Chisom Oguego of Lagos, Nigeria, provided a significant interior presence with 10 points, two blocks and a game-high three steals.

Texas A&M-Commerce, which never led, was paced by 14 points from Reza Po of San Bruno, California, and 13 points from Nina Horvath of Oberwart, Austria. Tiani Ellison of Durant, Oklahoma, added 11 points and three blocks for the Lions. The visitors struggled offensively throughout, posting an offensive rating of 74.6 points per 100 possessions, well below Lamar’s mark of 86.6. The Lions shot just 36.2 percent from the field.

Lamar extended its lead to 55-46 by the end of the third quarter. Texas A&M-Commerce made a final push in the fourth, closing the gap to 62-58 after a three-pointer from Horvath with 2:43 remaining. However, Denley answered immediately with a driving layup on the ensuing possession, and the Lions could get no closer, managing only one field goal in the final two and a half minutes.

The Lady Cardinals controlled the glass defensively, limiting the Lions to just eight offensive rebounds despite 58 missed shots. Lamar also shared the scoring load, with nine different players entering the scorebook.

The game was a reversal of the teams’ previous meeting on Dec. 31, which Lamar won 64-48 in Commerce. The Lady Cardinals have now won four consecutive games.

An announced crowd of 819 attended the contest.

Lamar will next host Stephen F. Austin on Saturday. Texas A&M-Commerce continues its road trip at Northwestern State on Saturday.