Dec. 2, 2014BEAUMONT, Texas – The huge smile on JaMeisha Edwards' face told you all you needed to know about how her return to the L:amar Lady Cardinals went on Tuesday night.
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Edwards, who was feared lost for the season before it even began, made a triumphant return in a 95-47 win over visiting Huston-Tillotson in a non-conference women's basketball game at the Montagne Center.
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Edwards played just eight minutes, but made those minutes count, finishing with nine points, one rebound and one assist.
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“It's an amazing feeling to be back,” Edwards said after the game. “I've been going to class and my internship, but I wanted to get back on the court. This was a special night.”
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Lamar coach Robin Harmony was also smiling about Edwards' return to the lineup.
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“It's nice to have JaMeisha back,” Harmony said. “We wanted to get her in there and get the dust off of her. Her presence means so much to this team.”
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Edwards wasn't the only one contributing to the dominant victory, however, as four Lady Cardinals scored in double figures, with two posting double-doubles.
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Caroline Adesulu had 13 points and 10 rebounds to go along with a career-high six steals, while Kiandra Bowers added 12 points and 12 rebounds. Addesha Collins had 11 points and a career-high five assists, while Shauna Long added 11 points as the Lady Cardinals scored the most points in Harmony's two seasons at Lamar.
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“Our posts (Adesulu and Bowers) have been playing well,” Harmony said. “I thought we did a good job on defense for most of the game.”
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Lamar (2-5) outrebounded Huston-Tillotson (0-4) 56-35. The Lady Cardinals also capitalized on 31 Huston-Tillotson turnovers, as Lamar held a 35-5 advantage in points off of turnovers.
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“We've won two games in a row, and that should give us some confidence,” Harmony said.
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Jasmine Dukes and LaKevia Castillo had 13 points apiece for Huston-Tillotson.
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The Lady Cardinals are idle until Dec. 11, when they travel to TCU to open a four-game road swing. Lamar also faces Wright State, Ohio Valley and Rice on that sojourn before hosting Nicholls in the Southland Conference opener at 4 p.m. Jan. 3.
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“We have a couple of days off for exams,” Harmony said. “It's important for us to keep our GPA up. That's something we stress all the time.”
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