Box Score Dec. 13, 2014 Box Score
EDINBURG, Texas - Senior Donovan Ross recorded his first double-double of the season, and sophomore Marcus Owens drilled a shot from half court as the final seconds ticked off the clock, but it wasn't enough as UTPA (5-4) defeated the Cardinals, 66-60, Saturday evening in the UTPA Fieldhouse. The loss dropped Lamar to 2-6 (.250) on the season.
"I was proud of how our guys battled back after falling behind but we have got to become more mentally tough," said head coach Tic Price. "After we got back in the game, we lost our poise and they responded with a run to close out each half and that really hurt us. We also took too many three-pointers when they weren't falling. We have to be able to recognize when those shots aren't falling and look for a better option. The other area that hurt us was we couldn't score off their turnovers, but they made us pay for our turnovers."
The second half ended very similar to the first half. UTPA builds a double-digit lead only to watch Lamar battle back late in the half. In both instances, UTPA rallied in the final 90 seconds of each half to turn Lamar away. In the opening 20 minutes the Cardinals took the lead only to watch the Broncs close the half with a 7-0 run. In the second half, the Cardinals erased a 13-point advantage to pull within one only to watch their hosts close the game with a 13-8 run for the win.
Ross led Lamar with 17 points and 10 rebounds, marking the second time this season that Ross has finished a game in double figures. Senior Tyran de Lattibeaudiere scored 14 points and pulled down seven rebounds, but struggled again with foul trouble.
The Cardinals finished the game 23-of-61 (.377) from the field, but only 4-of-22 (.182) from beyond the arc. Lamar also turned the ball over 15 times which were converted into 26 points. UTPA finished the game knocking down 44 percent of their shots, including a 6-of-12 (.500) performance from beyond the arc. The Broncs turned the ball over two more times than Lamar, but only surrendered 14 points from their miscues.
The first half of the game came down to damage caused from turnovers. Although both teams did a good job of holding onto the ball, UTPA did more damage from Lamar's mistakes. Lamar finished the half with nine turnovers, while UTPA turned it over eight times. The Broncs scored 17 points off of LU mistakes while the Cardinals could only manage seven points off UTPA miscues.
The Broncs charged out to a 10-point first-half lead and appeared to be on the verge of breaking the game open, but Lamar wouldn't allow UTPA to run off and hide. Lamar rattled off a 12-1 run capped by a Marcus Owens three-pointer to take a one-point lead, 22-21, but UTPA responded by closing out the half with an 8-0 run to take a 29-22 lead into the locker room.
The Cardinals' late half run jumped their percentage from the field from below 30 percent to up near 40 (10-27/.370), while the Broncs shot 9-of-24 (.375).
It was a similar situation in the second half as the Broncs built a 13-point second half lead, only to watch Lamar come storming back. After falling behind by double digits for a second time, Lamar wasted no time getting back in the game. LU rattled off a 15-3 run in less than four minutes time to pull within one. The one-point deficit would be as close as Lamar would get as the Broncs built the advantage back to nine before Owen's buzzer beater for the game's final score.
UTPA's Janari Joesaar scored the team's first 10 points and finished the night with 29. The Broncs Shaquille Boga added 19. Owens came off the bench to score nine points and pull down two rebounds for the Cardinals.
Lamar returns to action Monday when they open a five-game homestand against Champion Baptist. The game against the Tigers is slated to begin at 7 p.m.
-LAMAR-
