COMMERCE, Texas (Interstat) — Reza Po scored 33 points and Texas A&M-Commerce used a dominant first half to cruise past New Orleans 90-73 in a Southland Conference women’s basketball game on Thursday night at Texas A&M-Commerce Field House.

The Lions (8-10, 3-4) seized control immediately, opening the game on a 14-2 run and never looking back. They led 26-17 after the first quarter and extended the advantage to 50-35 by halftime. The Privateers (1-19, 1-6) could not overcome the early deficit despite a fourth-quarter push where they outscored the Lions 26-21.

Po, a 5-foot-2 guard from San Bruno, California, was the catalyst, hitting 11 of 27 shots from the field, including five three-pointers, and adding two assists in 33 minutes. Her performance marked a significant rebound from her recent outings, where she had scored a combined 19 points in the Lions’ previous two games, both losses.

The Lions’ offense operated efficiently throughout, posting an offensive rating of 111.4 points per 100 possessions. They shot 43.1% from the field and 40.7% from three-point range, assisted by a balanced attack. Cora Horvath, a 5-7 guard from Oberwart, Austria, orchestrated the offense with 11 points and a game-high seven assists. Her sister, Nina Horvath, also from Oberwart, added nine points and five assists.

New Orleans was led by Lauren Banks with 22 points and Brialle Washington of Rayne, Louisiana, who contributed 19 points. The Privateers struggled with their shooting, connecting on just 38.1% of their field goal attempts, and were hampered by 15 turnovers, which the Lions converted into 12 steals.

The most important sequence of the game came in the opening minutes, setting a tone the Privateers could not alter. After winning the opening tip, Texas A&M-Commerce scored on its first three possessions. Po opened the scoring with a layup just six seconds in, followed by a Nina Horvath three-pointer. After a New Orleans basket, Po hit a stepback jumper and then another layup to cap the 14-2 burst, forcing a New Orleans timeout before the game was five minutes old. The Lions’ defensive pressure was equally impactful early, blocking two shots and forcing three turnovers during that opening stretch, effectively stifling any attempt by New Orleans to establish rhythm.

While New Orleans showed fight in the fourth quarter, cutting what was once a 22-point lead down to 13 on several occasions, the Lions always had an answer, often from Po or Cora Horvath. A three-pointer by Po with 8:43 remaining pushed the lead back to 72-55, and the Privateers never got closer than 15 points again until the final minute.

The Lions dominated the glass, outrebounding New Orleans 48-35, including a 16-11 edge on the offensive boards. Alva Hedrich, a 6-2 forward from Muecke, Germany, pulled down nine rebounds to go with nine points and two blocks.

Texas A&M-Commerce improved to 2-0 against New Orleans this season, having also won 72-63 in New Orleans on Jan. 3. The Lions will look to build on the victory when they host Nicholls State on Saturday. New Orleans, mired in a three-game losing streak, returns home to face Northwestern State on Saturday.