March 8, 2011

KATY, Texas - Kalis Loyd's seventh double-double of the season led the Lamar University women's basketball team to an 81-77 win over Northwestern State in the first round of the State Farm Southland Conference Basketball Tournament on Tuesday.

Loyd had24 points and 13 rebounds as the second-seeded Lady Cardinals (25-6) survived a scare from the seventh-seeded Lady Demons (14-16).

Jenna Plumley had 22 points and Ang Green had 15 points for Lamar, which will meet Central Arkansas in the semfinals at 12:05 p.m. Thursday. Central Arkansas advanced with a 64-58 win over Stephen F. Austin on Tuesday.

Green, who sank three free throws with 1.1 seconds remaining to beat Stephen F. Austin during the regular season, was clutch at the line again on Tuesday, hitting four free throws in the final 15 seconds to seal the victory.

Lamar, which had beaten Northwestern State twice by double-digit scores during the regular season, had its hands full with the Lady Demons on Thursday. Northwestern State held a 69-66 lead with 4:51 remaining before the Lady Cards battled back.

"Give Northwestern State credit, they played us tough," Lamar coach Larry Tidwell said. "But we have to play better and we have to rebound better. If we don't, we're going to go home before we want."

Lamar was outrebounded 48-43 for the game. Northwestern State grabbed 26 offensive rebounds that led to 20 second-chance points. Lamar also committed 23 turnovers, five more than Northwestern State.

Thursday's game will be aired live on KLVI (560 AM). Should Lamar win, it would play for the Southland Conference title at 7:05 p.m. Friday.

LAMAR