Fighting for second place in the Southland Conference standings, the Lamar men’s basketball team defeated Nicholls State, 65-53, at the Neches Federal Credit Union Arena at the Montagne Center, clinching the No. 2 seed.
The game marked Senior Night and saw Ja’Sean Jackson, Adam Hamilton, Errol White and Danquez Dawsey play their final home game.
The regular season finale started off slow for the Cardinals as the lead went back and forth during the first half. The Cardinals held the score to a one to two possession game until Nicholls extended their lead to eight with a 6-0 run in the last five minutes of the half. The Cardinals kept fighting, though, cutting the lead to one, finishing the half 30-31.
The Cardinals turned it up a notch in the second half, scoring the first two points to take the lead. The Colonels took a six-point lead in the 13th minute of the half but that didn't stop the Cardinals as they locked in, going on a 10-0 run to take the lead back in the last seven minutes. LU maintained the lead to the end, ultimately winning by 12 points.
“It was gritty,” LU head coach Alvin Brooks said. “I thought it was tough. I thought we did a really good job defensively, kind of wearing them down. And that's a really good team that we beat. They beat McNeese a few weeks ago. That's a team that's capable of winning the tournament. I told our guys, ‘We're capable of winning the tournament. We have to earn the right to win.’ And you have to do that with toughness. I mean, there ain't no other way around it.”
Cardinal guard Alexis Marmolejos led the team in scoring with 15 points and six rebounds. Joining him in double figures were Jackson with 14, Hamilton with 12 and nine rebounds, and Cody Pennebaker with 11. White led the team in rebounds with 10.
The win marks the second time in 40 years that the Cardinals have landed a top two spot in the SLC standings, the last time being back in 2008.
“ I feel great about it,” Brooks said. “Now that gives us a chance to win the semifinals with the two seed. We don't play till next Tuesday night, so it gives us a chance to play well for those 40 minutes. Then we are in the tournament championship game. That's kind of where we want to be. Our goal from the very beginning was to hang another banner. That’s the number one goal.”
The Cardinals end the regular season 19-12 overall and 13-7 in SLC play. The high seed means LU receives a double bye into the SLC semifinals. They will next play March 11 at 8:30 p.m. at the Legacy Center in Lake Charles, La. with the opponent to be determined.
