LAKE CHARLES, La. – Lamar University (22-8) battled No. 3 Stephen F. Austin for 36 minutes in the semifinals of the Southland Conference tournament held at the Legacy Center, March 13. Unfortunately, a late Ladyjacks rally to win 61-53 would deny LU a third straight tip to the conference title game.
Akasha Davis led LU with her 13th double-double scoring 18 points and securing 12 rebounds. Sabria Dean collected nine points for the Cardinals while NJ Weems added seven. The guards of Jacei Denley and KJ Walker totaled six points.
The Cardinals converted 37.5 percent from the field, which included a 3-of-19 effort from downtown. SFA was helped by 51.2 percent and made half of its 16 three-point attempts. Both teams finished with 28 points and 30 rebounds.
Both teams open 4-of-8 (two of SFAs makes are 3s) with four rebounds apiece but SFA managed to stay hot for the entire quarter while the Cardinals cooked off. The Ladyjacks finished the first 10 minutes six for their first 12. Lamar opened the game knocking down four of its first eight as well but close the quarter missing its final four shots.
SFA built a seven-point lead with its first make of the second quarter but the Cardinals responded with a Davis basket and a K.J. Walker three to get the Red and White back within two with less than two minutes into the quarter. The Cardinals remained on the attack in the 2nd quarter outscoring the Ladyjacks by five to tie the game at 29 heading into the locker room.
Lamar knocked down eight of their 15 attempts in the final 10 minutes to pull even at the break. The Cardinals were 12-of-27 (.444) in the opening 20 minutes but converted just one triple. SFA finished the half 11-of-23 (.378), including a 4-of-9 (.444) effort from long range.
LU 8-2 run to open second half and held the advantage for the majority of the quarter with Davis hitting a basket just before the buzzer to give LU the lead, 44-42, heading into the final quarter.
Lamar trailed by a point and SFA had the ball when Denley took the ball away from Avery VanSickle and drove right to the basket for the score and the foul. Denley converted the and-one to give Lamar back a two-point advantage with less than seven to play but the Ladyjacks responded with a three-point play (the old-fashioned way) on the very next possession.
Trailing by a point, 51-50, with 4:24 to play, the Ladyjacks rattled 9-2 run to take a six-point lead with 42 seconds remaining. The Cardinals had two chances to cut the lead in half, but missed both three-point attempts and SFA sealed victory with a pair of free throws.