Dec. 16, 2004
BEAUMONT - Freshman Shaquita Coffey scored 10 second-half points and finished with a game-high 14, helping lead the Lamar Lady Cardinals to a 69-50 non-conference win over Prairie View A&M Thursday night at the Montagne Center.
The win extended Lamar's winning streak to three and improved the Lady Cards season record to 6-2, the best start for the women since the 1991-92 season. The loss dropped Prairie View to 1-5 for the year.
PV's opening basket gave the Lady Panthers their only lead of the game (3-2), before Lamar used a 7-0 run to grab a six-point lead (9-3) with 14:38 left in the opening half. Prairie View was able to tie the game at 16-16 with 5:36 left in the first frame, but Lamar was able to push its advantage to six at the half, 30-24.
Both teams struggled offensively, while combining for 18 first-half turnovers. Freshman Chelsea Gugliotta led Lamar, scoring six of her eight points in the opening half by converting 1-of-3 field goals and all four of her free throw attempts. Junior Bridgette Brackens also scored six of her nine points in the first half, connecting on 2-of-5 three-point attempts.
Lamar started the second half with a 9-0 run and expanded its lead to 15 with 16:53 remaining in the game. Coffey scored four points during the run, while sophomore LaToya Carson added a three-pointer. The Lady Panthers were able to cut the Lady Cardinals lead to nine (44-35) with 12:32 left to play on a pair of free throws by Ciara Sanders, but Prairie View never came any closer. Lamar outscored PV 25-15 over the final 12 minutes to seal the victory.
In addition to Coffey's second-half contribution, Carson added nine points in the second frame, finishing with 13 points and eight rebounds. Coffey also pulled down a game- and career-high nine rebounds, while sinking 7-of-11 shots from the floor.
The Lady Cardinals won the battle of the boards, 57-35, while limiting the Lady Panthers to a 32.3 field goal percentage (21-of-65). Lamar has now exceeded the 50-rebound mark six times this season. Lamar finished the game with a 39.1 percentage from the floor, converting 25-of-64 attempts, including 5-of-17 from beyond the arc.
LU also swatted seven shots, led by junior Megan McDougald and Audrea Samuel with three blocks each. McDougald added three points and seven rebounds, while Samuel had four points, four rebounds and two assists.
Prairie View placed three players in double figures, led by Karlanda Butler with 14 points. She also recorded four rebounds and a game-high four steals. Sanders finished with 11 points and five rebounds, and Casey Hart chipped in with 10 points and five boards.
Lamar hits the road for its next game, taking on Louisiana-Lafayette in Lafayette, Louisiana on Wednesday, Dec. 22, at 6 p.m. in Earl K. Long Gymnasium.
