Box Score Jan. 25, 2012
Box Score
NATCHITOCHES, La. - Senior guard Mike James poured in 18 points Wednesday night at Prather Coliseum, but Lamar University could not overcome a woeful shooting night in dropping a key Southland Conference men's basketball game 74-62 to Northwestern State.
Lamar managed to shoot just 32.9 percent from the floor in the game, including 1-of-12 from 3-point range. The Cards didn't limit their shooting problems to the floor as the usually strong free throw shooting team made just 13-of-25 from the charity stripe after entering the game at 73.2 percent.
The loss drops Lamar to 12-8 on the year, but more importantly, kept the Cardinals from keeping pace with NSU and McNeese State in the SLC East Division standings. Lamar now stands at 3-3 in conference play, while the Demons (11-9) and Cowboys are both 4-2.
After trailing 32-30 at the half, Lamar scored the first four points of the second half to grab a 34-32 lead. NSU responded with an 11-0 run to go ahead 43-34 with just under 16 minutes to play. Anthony Miles finally stopped the run with a pair of free throws at the 15:33 mark that made it 43-36.
"They really jumped on us (at the start of the second half)," said LU head coach Pat Knight. "We made some crucial mistakes on both ends of the floor and they got the run, but we killed ourselves. We missed way too many layups and way too many free throws."
Lamar continued to chip away and a James breakaway dunk at the 12:14 mark pulled the Cards to within four points at 48-44. The Demons scored 11 of the next 12 points to build their biggest lead of 59-45 with 8:25 to play.
The Cardinals made one final run as a Donley Minor jumper made it a 62-58 game with 4:40 to play, but Lamar would get no closer. NSU closed the game on a 12-4 run culminating with a James Hulbin dunk with nine seconds left.
"The effort is good and that's what I told them," said Knight about the Cards not giving up after trailing by 14. "The effort is there and really the defense is there, but we've just got to do a better job of playing smarter. That's a good team we played there, but I really feel like we're beating ourselves."
Lamar crushed the Demons on the boards, outrebounding them 48-37, but to no avail. LU grabbed 25 offensive rebounds, but was only able to convert 12 second chance points. NSU was able to swat away nine Lamar shots in the game and intimidate several others.
Senior center William Mosley, who set a Montagne Center record with 10 blocked shots last season, recorded five of the Demons' nine Wednesday night.
Faced with a full-court NSU press for much of the game, Lamar was able to handle the pressure and get into its offense. The Cards committed just 12 turnovers in the game and limited NSU, the Southland's leading team in steals, to just four thefts on the night.
"We didn't turn it over against the press," said Knight. "I thought we handled the press pretty well. I was happy with that, but we have to finish. We attacked the press really well, but we have to finish when we get it to the bucket."
NSU did not have the same shooting problems as Lamar in the second half. After hitting just 37.9 percent of their field goal attempts in the first half, the Demons connected on 62.5 percent after the break. Louis Ellis, who led all players with 19 points, knocked down four of the Demons' five 3-pointers.
Lamar's biggest lead of the game came with 7:05 to play in the first half as a Brandon Davis 3-pointer, the only trey the Cards would make in the game, made it a 22-16 contest. Hulbin knocked down a jumper with 1:38 to play in the first half that put NSU ahead for good at 29-28.
Miles was the only Cardinal to join James in double-figures as he finished with 15 points. He would add three rebounds, two assists and two of LU's nine steals. Devon Lamb led all players with 12 rebounds, adding nine points.
Junior forward Stan Brown chipped in with eight points and seven rebounds.
Shamir Davis played a strong floor game for the Demons, scoring an efficient 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting while also dishing out eight of the Demons' 14 assists. In addition to his five blocks, Mosley finished with 16 points and a team-high eight rebounds.
LAMAR
