Nov. 27, 2010

 

Box Score

 

BEAUMONT - Seven Cardinals scored in double figures on Saturday night at the Montagne Center as Lamar University rolled over visiting St. Gregory's by a 118-69 score in non-conference basketball action.

The Cardinals are now 2-0 at home, and 4-2 on the year, after reaching the century mark for the second straight home game. The 118 points is Lamar's highest point total since the Cardinals knocked off Huston-Tillotson by a 123-76 score on Dec. 3, 2003.

Lamar led 55-39 at the half, and never took its foot off the gas as the Cardinals opened the second half with eight straight points before the Cavaliers (3-4) finally scored. In the second half alone, Lamar enjoyed a 30-9 advantage in points off turnovers.

"Any time you force 35 turnovers and make 22 steals, that's a lot of takeaways and a lot of opportunities to score," said fifth-year Lamar coach Steve Roccaforte. "We will always score a lot of points when we share the ball the way we shared tonight."

The 22 steals set a new Montagne Center record, besting the old mark of 21 set by the Cardinals against Central Florida on Jan. 10, 1991. Kendrick Harris and Anthony Miles each had four steals to lead the way.

The Cardinals shot 55.0 percent from the floor in the second half, and 51.7 for the entire game. The Cavaliers shot an impressive 54.5 percent from the floor in the first half, but couldn't keep it going as they shot just 37.9 in the second half, getting outscored 63-30 over the game's final 20 minutes.

"We did a lot of good things tonight," added Roccaforte. "Anytime you can win by 50 points (actually 49), you're going to do a lot of good things.

"Our defense still isn't nearly where it needs to be. We need to be tougher defensively. We need to rebound better defensively. We need to challenge the ball in the paint."

Junior guard Charlie Harper led LU with 17 points and a game-high eight rebounds as Lamar enjoyed a huge 49-31 rebound advantage. Miles added 15 points, four rebounds and three assists.

Mike James, who scored 16 points in his season debut at Texas-Pan American on Tuesday, scored 14 points off the Lamar bench. Brandon Davis and Harris each had 13 points, with Orlando Brazier adding 11 and Vincenzo Nelson finishing with 10.

Sophomore guard Fayzon Richey came into the game scoring 22.5 points per game for SGU and got off to a good start in the first half. Richey scored 18 points, all in the first half, before fouling midway through the second half. Brandon Jackson had a game-high nine assists for SGU.

LAMAR