BEAUMONT, Texas — The Cardinals spent the first half in a tight contest with Prairie View A&M. But thanks to their defense that held the Panthers to 16 second half points, LU walked out of their home arena winners of four straight games with a 66-46 triumph. This now puts LU with a winning record at 5-4.
LU would knock down 45.1% of their shots from the field while the defense kept PVAMU to 27.9%. Akasha Davis again led LU with 18 points for the night going five-of-nine from the field. Anyssia Gibbs would also reach double-figures with 12 points. Sabria Dean and Angel Hastings would pour in eight points apiece while Kayla Mitchell recorded five points and five assists.
LU’s first quarter response following an opening Panther three was 13 straight points as Davis would pick up six of them in the stretch for a 13-3 lead. But the Panthers would respond with a 10-2 run as they got themselves within 15-13. Davis was able to knock down three free throws to finish the quarter with half of her game total points. LU led 18-13 after one following 45.4% from the field.
The second quarter would play out much like the first. LU would get a run to spread the lead out only for PVAMU to cut the deficit. Down 26-18, the Panthers would trim the margin to one point as their 8-1 run put them down 27-26. PVAMU would tie the game at 30 with 2:24 to go. But LU ran off six unanswered points to lead 36-30 at the break. LU was able to make half of their 12 shots.
It was the third quarter that would be the difference as LU’s defense held PVAMU to just four points while they scored 16 starting with six straight from Gibbs. That spark would lead to a 14-2 run that made it 50-32. Dean and Malay McQueen would pitch in four points for the Cardinals as despite knocking down 37.5%, the lowest field goal percentage in a quarter for LU on the night, they still kept a 52-34 lead.
LU’s lead grew to the 20’s in the fourth quarter as the story would be Portia Adams, who made her season debut and scored five of her seven total points in the game. Hastings would also pick up five of her eight points in the fourth as the Cardinals knocked down 43.6% from the field. While the Panthers did score 12 points, they were held to just 30.7% from the field and in the end, the 66-46 score would be enough for LU to extend to four straight.
A week from tonight, LU will have their sixth straight home game as they will welcome Southeastern Louisiana. The tip-off will start at 7:00 PM.