A back-and-forth game ended in heartbreak for the Cardinals as they lost 53-52 to Nicholls State, Feb. 23, in Southland Conference. The Senior Night contest was LU’s sixth-straight defeat.
The game, held at the Neches Federal Credit Union Arena at the Montagne Center, finished in disappointment as the Colonels took advantage of the possession arrow to score the go-ahead basket with one second left.
Senior Rob Lee Jr. and sophomore Braden East led the Cardinals with 10 a piece, but defense was the name of the game for both teams. Each team shot under 40% from the field and committed 14 turnovers.
Both teams started slowly, with the score being 23-20 in Lamar’s favor at the half. Shots clanked off the rims with both teams needing a win to maintain their Southland Conference tournament hopes.
The Cardinals and Colonels both picked up the pace a little in the second half, although neither could get more than a two-possession lead. With under two minutes in the game, the Colonels took a four-point lead. After a clutch defensive stop from the Cardinals, however, Lee Jr. knocked down a fading three to bring the Cardinals to within one.
Craziness ensued on the Cardinals’ next possession. After tipping the ball towards the out-of-bounds line, senior Cody Pennebaker somehow made a diving save behind his back straight to the Cardinals’ basket where East dunked the ball to take back the lead with a20 seconds left.
With the game on the line, Colonels’ guard Trae English drove for a layup but the ball wedged between the rim and the backboard. Unfortunately for Lamar, the possession arrow favored the Colonels, which gave them one more chance with 4.8 seconds left on the clock. Nichols’ English took advantage and scored a go-ahead layup with a second remaining, ultimately ending the game.
The loss puts Lamar at 12-17 on the season and 7-13 in conference play. The sixth-straight loss drops them to eighth in the conference. LU needs to win their final two games on the road to make the SLC tournament.
The Cardinals final two regular season games are against Incarnate Word at 4 p.m., Feb. 28, in San Antonio, and at Houston Christian, March 2 at 7:30 p.m.
Both games are available on ESPN+.
Errol White dunks an alley-oop from B.B. Knight ball during LU's 53-52 loss to Nicholls State, Feb. 23, the Neches Federal Credit Union Arena at the Montagne Center. UP photo by Gerrod Fuller