BEAUMONT, Texas — Lamar and Southeastern Louisiana entered Thursday night’s women’s basketball game with six-game winning streaks on the line. While SLU entered with the best defense in the conference, the roles were reversed on this night as LU’s defense sparked them to their seventh straight win by the final of 66-54. With the crucial win, LU pulls to within a game of first place of the Southland Conference at 11-5 along with their 17-10 overall record. SLU is now tied for first along with Texas A&M-Corpus Christi with two games to go.
Akasha secured her eighth double-double of the season and 14th in her career with 22 points on nine-of-11 shooting and 16 rebounds. Portia Adams netted 19 points, which included five from downtown while Sabria Dean tallied 13 points. The Cardinals out-rebounded the Lions 42-30 while hitting 43.4% from the field and held SLU to 34.5%.
The first 10 minutes was a back-and-forth affair that ended with a 14-14 deadlock as neither team would get a two-possession lead. All the points for Big Red came from either Davis or Adams as they combined to shoot 45.5% from the field. The Lions were held to just 35.7% from the field.
The second quarter began much like the first with both teams trading baskets until the Lions led 20-17. That was when Big Red suddenly went on a 16-0 run to end the quarter with a 33-20 lead. Adams connected on a pair of threes while Dean tallied five points. Despite converting seven-of-18 (38.9%) from the field, LU held SLU to three-of-12 shooting (25.0%).
Big Red never lost their double-digit lead in the third quarter as they made 54.5% from the field. They built their largest lead at 48-30 with 1:47 to go. Both Davis and Dean scored five points in the quarter as LU let nothing, not even an intentional foul, get them off their game in those 10 minutes. The Cards led 49-35 after three quarters.
Davis got her 20th point with LU’s first five points of the fourth as the lead went to 55-39 at the midway point of the final quarter. But over the next three minutes, the Lions got themselves within six points on a 12-2 run to trail 57-51 with LU's only basket being a crucial layup by NJ Weems. All fears of a letdown were squashed by a pair of jumpers from R’Mani Taylor to extend LU’s lead to 10 at 61-51. The Lions would break single digits with 30 seconds left, but the Cardinals got the double-digit win with free throws to be at 66-54 and make it seven wins in a row.
LU’s last home game takes place this Saturday at 3:00 p.m. against the University of New Orleans. It will also be senior night as Brooklyn Mitchell and Malay McQueen will be honored for their careers at LU.
