Nov. 19, 2006
Box Score
COLLEGE STATION - James Davis set a Reed Arena record with 35 points and Lamar Sanders posted a triple-double leading Lamar University to a 71-68 win over Louisiana Tech Sunday afternoon on the final day of the Shelby Metcalf Classic.
Lamar, who improved to 2-2 overall, returns home to host former conference rival New Orleans Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. Louisiana Tech dropped to 0-3 on the season.
Davis' 35 points surpassed the previous Reed Arena record for points scored in a game of 34 shared by Bernard King of Texas A&M and Eddie House of Arizona State. He was 13-of-18 from the field and 9-of-10 from the free throw line. He also added seven points and two assists. Sanders, a 6-6 junior forward, recorded what is believed to be the first triple-double in school history. He scored 11 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and dished out 12 assists.
The game see-sawed back and forth, featuring 12 ties and 13 lead changes. Trailing 63-66, Davis hit a pair of free throws at 2:16 to pull the Cardinals within one. Terry Parker hit a jumper in the lane to push the lead back to three for the Bulldogs with 1:58 remaining.
Sanders answered with a layup at 1:35 to make the score 67-68. Following a missed three-pointer by Marcus Elliott, Matthew Barrow made a pair of free throws with 44 seconds remaining to give Lamar the lead for good at 69-68. Elliott missed another trey and Darren Hopkins sank two free throws with 10 seconds left to provide the final margin. The Bulldogs ran a play for Elliott, but he misfired on three at the buzzer.
Lamar took a 34-33 lead into the locker room at halftime on the strength of 50 percent shooting from the field. Trailing by six, 20-26 with 5:27 left in the opening stanza, the Cardinals closed the first half on a 14-7 run.
Lamar shot a season-best 50 percent (23-of-46) from the field, 30.8 percent (4-of-13) from 3-point range and 75 percent (21-of-28) from the free throw line. The Cardinals outrebounded La. Tech 35 to 29 and enjoyed a 36 to 24 advantage in points in the paint.
Elliott and Parker each scored 13 points to pace La. Tech. Chad McKenzie and Trey McDowell, who prepped at Beaumont West Brook, added 11 points. Harry Disy added 10. McKenzie pulled down six rebounds and Parker dished out five assists. The Bulldogs forced 16 Lamar turnovers, which led to a 22 to 10 edge in points off turnovers.
