BEAUMONT, Texas — Freshman Nate Calmese scored a game-high 20 points and hit a three-pointer with 1.3 seconds remaining to lift Lamar University to a thrilling 69-66 victory over Nicholls Thursday evening at the Montagne Center. The victory – LU’s first Southland win – snapped a seven-game slide and put the Cardinals back in the SLC hunt.
Calmese was the only Cardinal in double figures, but Big Red did a great job of spreading out the scoring Thursday for an offense that shot 19-of-47 (.404) from the field. Big Red only attempted five threes (converting three) but it was the final attempt that got the biggest roar from the crowd.
The Cardinals were put on the free throw line 34 times and made sure not to let the game get away from them. LU converted 28-of-34 attempts (.824) on the night.
LU also outrebounded their guests, 46-37, including 12 offensive rebounds. Freshman Cody Pennebaker scored five points and pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds, while freshman Yuto Yamanouchi and Jason Thirdkill each pulled down nine. Mid-year addition, Janko Bulajic, scored seven points and pulled down eight rebounds (to go along with a couple of blocks) in his LU debut. He was forced into early action due to first-half foul trouble on Yamanouchi.
Nicholls was 21-of-67 (.313) from the field but struggled to find the range from three-point land. The Colonels attempted 33 three triples converting just seven (.212).
Thursday’s contest was a back-and-forth affair that saw 10 lead changes and the game tied 14 times. Neither team could gain an advantage larger than eight points – and that belonged to Big Red following a Brian Gordon first-half basket.
As tight as the game was, it got even closer in the final 10:15 as neither team could gain more than a one-possession advantage during that time. A Nicholls foul on Tyrease Terrell put Bulajic on the line with 1:39 remaining. The Montenegro native gave Big Red a one-point lead. Just 1:18 later, the Colonels found themselves on the line where Latrell Jones hit one of two to tie the game at 66.
After both teams called a timeout, Big Red got the ball in the hands of Calmese who buried the game-winner from the right of the circle snapping the bottom of the net with 1.3 remaining. The Colonels were unable to get off a clean shot as the buzzer sounded securing the victory.
The Cardinals return to action Saturday when they travel to Commerce, Texas to take on A&M-Commerce. The game against the Lions is slated to begin at 4:30 p.m. from The Field House.