BEAUMONT, Texas — Junior center Avery Sullivan scored a career-high 24 points and pulled down a career-high 16 rebounds to lead a shorthanded Lamar University squad to a 73-56 victory over Southern University of New Orleans Wednesday evening from the Montagne Center.
The victory keeps LU perfect at home on the season with a 5-0 record.
The Cardinals shot nearly 54 percent from field in the opening half and finished the game 25-of-55 (.455) overall. LU went to the free throw line 31 times in the contest converting nearly 68 percent of their attempts. Big Red outrebounded their guests by nine, 43-34, including 15 offensive rebounds.
The Cardinals finished night with three players in double figures. Senior T.J. Atwood scored 16 points and pulled down seven rebounds to go along with four assists, four steals and two blocks. Classmate V.J. Holmes added 13 points and five rebounds.
The Cardinals forced their guests into 17 turnovers which they converted into 27 points. LU turned the ball over 15 times but managed to neutralize the impact of the turnovers on the other end of the floor.
LU held the Knights to just 29 percent in the opening half of action, but Southern finished the game converting 23-of-65 from the field following a 41-percent effort in the final 20 minutes of play. The Knights finished with two players in double figures led by 16 from Shadon Green.
“I thought we played well and gave good effort for 32 minutes,” said LU head coach Tic Price. “Our zone defense was good at times tonight, but I think we might have stayed in it a little too long in the second. I felt like we had to do that because we were so shorthanded and couldn’t afford to get anyone in foul trouble. Based on the scouting report, we felt if we went with our length we could cause them problems shooting.”
SUNO opened the game with an early 10-5 lead, but the Cardinals responded with a 17-0 run to build a 12-point lead with 8:43 remaining in the half. The Cardinals managed to push their lead to as many as 20 points before taking an 18-point lead into the locker room, 40-22.
The lead remained in double figures for all but 25 seconds in the second half when SUNO mounted a late run. The Knights took advantage of a turnover, a few missed shots and a couple of fouls to mount a 15-5 to pull within nine with 8:32 remaining in the half. After a 30 second timeout the run came to an end as the Cardinals responded with seven straight points. The Knights never seriously threatened after that.
The Cardinals (6-4) return to action Saturday when they travel to Fort Worth, Texas, to take TCU. The game against the Horned Frogs is set to begin at 2 p.m. and will be broadcast live on Newstalk 560 KLVI.
