BEAUMONT, Texas — reshman Nate Calmese scored a career-high 31 points and classmate Cody Pennebaker added a career-high 21 as Lamar University defeated Our Lady of the Lake, 91-56, Monday evening at the Montagne Center.
For the Cardinals, it marked their fourth win of the season already doubling their win total from last year. Big Red’s fourth win also comes against the last team it defeated a year ago.
Calmese and Pennebaker led an offence that shot better than 43 percent from the floor (33-of-76), including 13 three-pointers. LU’s freshman duo converted nine of the team’s 13 triples. Big Red also took advantage of their attempts at the free throw line knocking down 12-of-16 (.750).
The Cardinals won the battle on the boards, 41-36, including 19 offensive rebounds which LU converted into 21 second chance points.
Defensively, the Cardinals held their guest to a 21-of-53 (.396) performance, with just seven of those coming from long-range. OLLU had two players in double figures led by Daniel Helterhoff’s 17 points.
Big Red also forced the Saints in to 26 turnovers – 16 in the second half – which they converted into 32 points. On the flip side, LU turned the ball over 11 times, but the Cardinals didn’t allow OLLU to take advantage surrendering just four points from their mistakes.
The Cardinals took an eight-point lead into the locker room and turned up the intensity early in the second half to put the game out of reach. Sparked by steals from both Pennebaker and Calmese (early in the second) which led to fast break buckets, the Cardinals rattled off a 20-5 run to build a 22-point lead. The Cardinals watched their lead balloon to as many as 38 before the final tally.
The Cardinals return to action Saturday when they travel to Hattiesburg, Miss., to take on Southern Miss. The game against the Golden Eagles will tip off at 2 p.m.