Mens’ hoops falls on the road, 71-55
Lamar senior Lincoln Smith scored a team-high 14 points and classmate C.J. Roberts added 12, but the story of the game was the late surge by Dixie State to hold off Lamar University, 71-55, Jan. 20 from Burns Arena in St. George, Utah.
It was a slog for the first two-plus minutes of the game as both teams combined to go 0-for-8. The Cardinals (2-16/0-7 WAC) broke through first with a C.J. Roberts jumper at the 17:47 mark. Roberts' basket would start a 12-4 run for the Cardinals who led for the majority of the first half.
After the tough start, Big Red knocked down their next four attempts, while the Trailblazers were mired in an 0-for-6 start.
Big Red held the advantage until midway through the opening half when Dixie State claimed its first lead with 7:11 remaining. The game was back-and-forth until the 3:56 mark when the Trailblazers rattled off an 8-0 run to take a five-point lead. The two teams exchanged baskets late in the half as DSU took a four-point lead into the locker room.
The second half shaped up in similar fashion as the first. LU senior Ellis Jefferson buried a three to pull LU within two at the 12:13 mark, but DSU responded with a 9-4 run to take a seven-point lead with 6:46 remaining. The lead grew to 10 points before LU got back on the board from the free throw line. After Lincoln Smith hit both attempts, sophomore Kasen Harrison got a steal leading to a layup, pulling the Cardinals back within six. Unfortunately, the Trailblazers responded with a three-pointer to push the advantage back to nine points. The Cardinals were unable to get any closer down the stretch.
The Cardinals return to action Saturday when they travel to Orem, Utah to take on Utah Valley. The game against the Wolverines will tip off at 2 p.m. (3 p.m. Central time) from UCCU Center. It will air on ESPN+.
LU womens’ squad improves to 3-3 in WAC play
The Lamar womens’ basketball team won a conference matchup against Dixie State, 75-65, on Jan. 20 at the Montagne Center in Beaumont.
LU’s Akasha Davis powered her way to a game-high 19 points on 8-of-14 shooting. She also recorded a double-double with 11 rebounds. With five threes on the night, Malay McQueen finished with 17 points while both Sabria Dean and Anyssia Gibbs scored 14 points. LU finished the game shooting 43.5 percent from the field while the Cardinals finished the night with 21 second chance points in the contest.
The first quarter would see DSU start off with a 7-4 run. LU's post players of Davis and Michaela Wilson would get a run of four unanswered points. The Trailblazers converted a go-ahead three before Gibbs knocked down a pair of free throws to mark an 11-10 DSU lead after one.
The Cardinals outscored DSU 9-5 to open the second quarter with McQueen pouring in five points. That was when LU went on a run of nine straight points as McQueen, Wilson, and Gibbs pushed the LU advantage to 36-29. Despite shooting 55.6% from the field, LU was outshot by the Trailblazers (61.5%), but still led 36-33 at the break.
It would be the third quarter that propelled the Cards to a double-digit lead. Davis and McQueen combined for 10 points, giving LU a 48-38 margin. While the Trailblazers would cut the deficit in half, the Cards responded with more threes as Dean and Gibbs each connected from downtown, making the score 60-49.
DSU threatened to come back early in the fourth with four points. But LU's defense and the trio of Davis, Dean, and Gibbs surged the Cardinals back to double-figures. Angel Hastings seemed to ice the win with a three with five minutes to go.
The Cardinals will look for a Utah sweep as they host Utah Valley at the Montagne Center this Saturday at 2 p.m.