By Nick Eatman

When the buzzer sounds at the scorers table, Britney Jordan rarely bothers to look over. More than likely, she knows any substitution won't be for her.

            At this point in the season, A&M-Commerce can't afford to take its leading scorer, not to mention the LSC North Division Player of the Year, off the floor.

            Jordan, who averages more than 31 points per game, has all but single-handedly carried the Lions on her back this season, which was extended at least another game, thanks to an upset win over Abilene Christian Wednesday night in the LSC championship in Bartlesville.

            Jordan, a senior guard from Peoria, Ill., scored 35 points and took an LSC-tournament record 33 shots from the floor. However, it was a pass that won the game in the final seconds as she dished off an assist to teammate Nola Taylor for a game-winning shot.

            While scoring his obviously her forte, Jordan says as her collegiate career comes to an end, she plans on doing anything she can to extend her team's season, and consequently, her career as well.

            So with a Commerce team that has been dwindled down to just seven players, Jordan knows she must be prepared to not only play the entire way, but lead her team of "fighters" as she calls them.

            "Man, it'd be nice to be me," Jordan says with a huge smile, referring to getting a sub in the middle of a game. "But we're going to play the cards that we're dealt. We could've said, ‘Hey, we've got seven players and let's chalk this thing up and try to rebuild and look forward to next year.' But we decided to fight and keep going, and go until we run into a brick wall. And that's what we're doing. It would be great to have a couple more people on the bench. But I know when I look into the eyes of those other six girls, I know they have the same effort and the same love for each other. I know they're going to fight for me as much as I'm going to fight for them."

            Jordan has had to fight just to get to this point in her career. A McDonald's All-American pick coming out of high school, Jordan went to the University of Temple. But things didn't work out and ultimately Jordan ended up in Commerce, Texas. It might be a different lifestyle or change of pace, but Jordan said she wouldn't trade anything.

"No regrets," Jordan said. "I think every avenue I took was meant. I'm at a place now where I'm a stronger person and a smarter person. And that has made me a better student and a better athlete. I wouldn't trade the experiences that I've gone through in my life, for anything."

Jordan's senior season has been full of accomplishments, starting with a 53-point scoring effort against Abilene Christian earlier this season. It was an LSC-record for only three days, before Texas Woman's University's Renee Renz scored 63 points against the same ACU squad.

However, Jordan said what she remembers more about that game wasn't the amount of points, but that her Lions squad fell to ACU on that day.

"I'll take two points with a win. I want to win," Jordan said. "Whatever I can do to help my team win, that's what I'll do. I think in the future, looking back on my collegiate career, I think it's something I can pride myself on - scoring 53 points - but I'll take a win over any amount of points I get."

And the same goes for individual honors. Jordan said she was surprised to be named the North Division Player of the Year, especially playing in a league that features players such as Renz, UCO's Lizzie Brenner and Southeastern Oklahoma's Destiny Brown.

"I was very honored to be named Player of the Year," Jordan said. "I was shocked when they called my name. I think it comes down to my university promoting me and my teammates believing in me, and just me having the will to keep fighting every day."

Jordan said her team gained a lot of motivation from last year's A&M-Commerce men's team, a No. 4 seed that advanced to the tournament championship game only to lose to UCO by two points.

"Last year's men's team, they were fighters. They were Lions," said Jordan. "They never gave up and kept fighting. That was definitely a motivator for us. And our own team, getting knocked out in the first round, was also a motivation to not let that happen again."

But when her season does come to an end, Jordan only hopes that her basketball career is not over. If the chance to play professionally presents itself, Jordan will jump at the chance.

"I think there might some opportunities for me to play next year," Jordan said. "I'm not really sure. If an opportunity is there, then I'll definitely be there."