MEN’S BASKETBALL
Senior Nick Garth scored 23 points and junior Jordan Hunter scored 20 to lead Lamar University to an 82-67 victory over Stephen F. Austin, Saturday, in Nacogdoches.
Hunter opened the game with consecutive three-pointers to give LU a 6-0 advantage. The triples sparked a 16-2 start for the Cardinals who converted six of their first eight attempts. The ’Jacks didn’t get their first field goal until the 14:28 mark.
SFA followed the basket up with a three-pointer, but LU kept up the pressure and pushed its advantage to 22-8.
SFA finished the half with just seven field goals and only one three-pointer.
The Lumberjacks opened the second half on a 7-2 run to trim LU’s lead down to 11. LU momentarily stole the momentum back following consecutive Hunter three ‘s to build the Cards’ advantage back to 13.
The Lumberjacks started the second half converting five of their first seven and trimmed the lead down to eight points, 59-51. SFA continued to chip away at the lead from the free throw line forcing LU junior V.J. Holmes out of the game due to fouls.
Leading by just five, the Cardinals got consecutive three-pointers from freshman Davion Buster and Garth to push their advantage back to double-digits. After forcing consecutive stops on the defensive end LU got clutch baskets from junior Michael Kolawole and Garth to build the lead back to 13 with 2:47 to play. The Cardinals pushed their lead to 15 after a Hunter miss was followed up by an offensive rebound and put back from Nzeakor. The Lumberjacks never seriously threatened after that as LU took care of business at the free throw line.
The Cardinals returned to action Wednesday against Northwestern State. Scores were unavailable at press time.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
For the first time since Jan. 6, 2018, the LU’s women’s basketball team dropped a Southland Conference regular season contest, Saturday, when the Lady Cards were defeated, 70-58, by Stephen F. Austin in Nacogdoches. The loss snapped a 24 game SLC regular season winning streak.
LU senior Moe Kinard led the Cards with 23 points on 9-of-17 shooting. The Lady Cards and Ladyjacks came out trading buckets and after a three-point shot by Kinard, LU held an early 5-2 lead over SFA. Following the play, the Lady Cardinals did not score for a two-minute stretch and LU found themselves down, 13-7. Lamar came back and a pair of free throws by junior Briana Laidler, put LU ahead 16-13. LU scored three more points in the quarter and led 19-17.
After a three by Kinard early in the second quarter, Lamar held a three-point lead, 21-18 before LU found themselves down one, 24-23. The Ladyjacks lead was extended to seven, 30-23, after a pair of free throws. Lamar slowly started chipping away at the lead and after a jumper by Crump, LU trailed 34-29. Neither team scored for the last minute of the half and LU trailed 34-29 at halftime.
Coming out of halftime, Laidler hit a layup to get LU on the board and Crump followed with a three tying the game at 34. Following Crumps three, LU went six minutes without scoring. Crump broke the scoreless drought for Lamar as she hit a three with 1:18 left in the third quarter. Lamar would not score again and trailed 49-37 at the end of the third quarter.
Needing a big fourth quarter, the Cards slowly chipped away at the Ladyjacks lead. A minute later, the Cards had the lead down to four, 54-50. Four points would be as close as the Cards would get as SFA stretched the lead back to double-digits.
The Cards returned to action, Wednesday, when they faced Northwestern State. Scores were unavailable at press time.