Jan. 27, 2007
BEAUMONT - All five Lady Cardinal starters scored in double digits as the Lamar University women's basketball team snapped a two game losing streak with a 71-60 win over the McNeese State Cowgirls Saturday night at the Montagne Center.
The win improves Lamar's record to 9-10 on the season and 4-2 in Southland Conference play, while McNeese falls to 2-17 and 0-6.
The Lady Cardinals were able to pull away from a pesky Cowgirl squad late in the second half, as freshman Brittney Williams began to find open looks at the basket in the post. Williams scored 10 of her 15 points in the second half on 5-8 shooting from the field, while Dionne Pounds scored eight of her 15 points on 8-8 shooting from the free throw line in the second half.
In the first half the Lady Cardinals held McNeese to 36.7 shooting from the field, but the Cowgirls 58.3 percent performance from behind the three point arc (7-12) kept them within four points at the break at 34-30.
The Lamar offense was efficient in the opening 20 minutes of the contest, as the Lady Cards shot 43.3 percent from the field, but just 33.3 percent from behind the three point line, connecting on four of 12 triples.
Quiana N'Joku led the way for Lamar in the first half, scoring eight points on 4-5 shooting, while Alexis Timpone passed out six assists.
For the game the Lady Cards were led by Williams and Pounds 15 points, while Williams collected her sixth double-double of the season with a game-high 10 rebounds. Timpone finished the game with 13 points on 4-6 shooting from the field, while LaToya Carson and Shaquita Coffey each added 10 points.
McNeese was led by Courtnee' Hollins, who knocked down five of her seven three pointers en route to a career-high 22 points. Reeshimah Davis and Shonice Sprouce also scored in double figures, with 13 and 11 points respectively.
As a team, the Lady Cardinals narrowly won the battle of the boards, as they out rebounded the Cowgirls 37-34. Lamar also shot 46.2 percent from the field while holding McNeese to 32.8 percent, while knocking down 81.8 percent (18-22) of their free throws.
The Lady Cardinals will be in action again Thursday night when they take on Nicholls State in Thibodaux, La. at 7:00. Lamar will close out the week against Southeastern Louisiana on Saturday at 7 p.m. in the Montagne Center.
