The Lamar men’s basketball team lost to McNeese State, 54-63, in the Southland Conference tournament final, March 12, at the Legacy Center in Lake Charles, La.
For the first time since 2012, the Cardinals reached the SLC tournament final against rival and reigning champions McNeese in an intense Battle of the Border matchup.
”We got a 2-win season for the first time in a while,” LU head coach Alvin Brooks said. “Maybe only the fourth time in 40 years or something like that. Got to the tournament championship game for the first time since 2012. And last year we were in the semis with 19 wins.
“I think we just have to kind of regroup. And we, as a program, we're gonna figure out what we gotta do to get better.”
The championship matchup was physical right from the start. McNeese led in the first half, despite Lamar scoring the first points. Cardinal guard Alexis Marmolejos finished the half with 10 points as Lamar went to the locker room down 33-30.
The Cardinals defense came out hot in the second half as Lamar pulled within one on a Cody Pennebaker layup in the first seven minutes of the game. Unfortunately for the Cardinals, that’s as close as they would get.
“You know, (McNeese) defense was good,” Brooks said. “No disrespect to them, but we just had a lot of opportunities we didn't convert. Especially against a good team that makes it harder. We dug ourselves in a little bit of a hole and then we had done a good job of converting and taking care of the ball. But then we went a little stretch when we couldn’t.”
With less than six minutes remaining, the lead moved to eight points following two McNeese free throws, but the Cardinals responded with two Andrew Holifield free throws followed by a third from Pennebaker to trim the deficit down to five, 51-46, with four minutes remaining. McNeese extended the lead to 12 in the last two minutes and the Cardinals could not pull through.
Despite the loss, Lamar dominated the glass, 49-32, including a 21-5 edge on the offensive side. Every Cardinal but one who checked in the game pulled down at least two rebounds, and three players had at eight or more.
Lamar ends the season 20-13 overall and 14-6 in conference play, their best SLC record in program history. Following the game Marmolejos and Hamilton were named to the Southland All-Tournament team.
Marmolejos led the team in scoring with 18 points and nine rebounds. Joining him in double figures were Hollifield with 15 and nine, and Hamilton with 11 and eight. Ja’Sean Jackson and Pennebaker both scored four points and six rebounds.
“These guys here, Ja’Sean and Adam Hamilton, I just told them, I know they’re disappointed, but their leadership has led us back to where Lamar should be,” Brooks said. “And this is where we are. This is where we'll be. We'll be back.”
The Cardinals wait to see if they will earn a bid to a post-season tournament
