BEAUMONT, Texas — Seeking revenge from an earlier loss to Texas A&M-Commerce almost two weeks ago, Lamar University’s women‘s basketball team used a strong defensive fourth quarter to pull away from the Lions 66-49. LU is now 10-9 overall and level at 4-4 in Southland Conference play following this win.
Big Red needed four double-digit scorers as Sabria Dean led the way with 16 points with 50.0% made from the field. NJ Weems came off the bench to score 13 points while Malay McQueen tallied 11 points and Akasha Davis picked up 10 points. In all, LU made 49.1% from the field.
After both teams combined for nine early points with AMC up 5-4, LU used a 13-2 run to propel their lead to 17-7 with Dean picking up eight points in the stretch. AMC trimmed the margin to 17-11 by the end of the first quarter, but LU allowed only three baskets and held the Lions to 16.7% from the field. The Cards made half of their 12 shots in the quarter.
Davis and McQueen opened the second quarter with baskets to give LU their second double-digit lead of the night. AMC responded with eight straight points to trail 21-19. Leading 24-21, the Cardinals responded with a 10-3 run to increase the margin to 34-24. However, the Lions cut the the margin to four points at 34-30 by the end of the first half.
The Lions would carry their momentum into the third quarter as they began with a 6-3 run that got them within 37-36. That would be the closest they would get as LU would have an answer for every AMC bucket until an Emma Imevbore layup and a three-pointer by Dean pushed LU’s lead to three possessions. Commerce were able to get a last-second lay-up and LU’s lead was down to 50-44 heading to the final 10 minutes.
But again, LU had an answer and more as the fourth quarter proved to be the deciding factor. Outscoring the Lions 16-5, they held AMC to just two-of-10 shooting from the field while they converted seven-of-14. Davis put together six points in the quarter to reach her 10 points while Weems and McQueen also got into double-figures. With 5:23 to go, the Lions would score what turned out to be their final basket, which only made the score 59-49. Seven points later, it was LU who emerged 66-49 winners.
The Cardinals will look to extend their winning streak to three as they will hit the road this Saturday to meet up with Northwestern State for a 1:00 p.m., tipoff.