Box Score

BEAUMONT, Texas - Six players scored in double figures as the Lamar Cardinals pushed their win streak to three and remain undefeated at home this season after beating Rice (3-7), 79-72, in an overtime thriller Monday night at the Montagne Center. The victory gives Lamar one more win than it had all of last season, and only two wins shy of its win total from the previous two years.

"We are a very young team and still learning how to win," said head coach Tic Price. "But I was very proud of how we came out and fought. Things didn't always go our way, but I thought we showed great poise tonight. Kevin Booze and Marcus Owens came off the bench to hit some clutch baskets for us, and I thought the guys really fed off the energy from the crowd."

For all of the drama that existed at the end of the game, it started in a very different fashion. Rice jumped out to an early 10-point lead, while the Cardinals connected on only four of their first 18 attempts from the field. Lamar didn't crack the scoreboard until freshman Zjori Bosha hit a three-pointer with 15:40 remaining in the first half. The Cardinals finally settled down and finished the game 21-of-46 (.457), including a season-best 10-of-20 from beyond the arc. Lamar held the Owls to a 22-of-51 (.431) performance from the field.

Rice took the only double-digit advantage of the game when they led 14-4 nine minutes into the first half. LU spent the rest of the half chipping away at that lead, and took their first lead of the game with 55 seconds remaining before half time, but the Owls responded on the very next possession. After two Donovan Ross free throws with eight seconds on the clock it appeared that LU would take an advantage into the locker room but Rice closed the half with two free throws of its own to take a slim one-point lead, 33-32, into the intermission.

"Tonight was a game of runs," said Price. "It was going to come down to which team was the most composed and we just kept grinding it out. What helped us was we were always able to come up with big stops when we really needed them. We had numerous times where we could've folded tonight, but I thought our conditioning really paid off for us. Both teams were tired, but we found a way to win tonight."

As the second half got started, Rice again jumped out to a six point lead. The Owls knocked down four of their first five three-point attempts in the second half but Lamar was able to hang close with some long-range shooting of its own. Sophomore Marcus Owens came off the bench to provide a spark for the Cards as he scored 11 of his 14 points in the second half. He finished the game 5-of-6 from the field, and 4-of-5 from beyond the arc.

"Really, it just came down to my teammates finding me when I was open," said Owens. "They got me the ball and I was able to knock down some shots."

Owens was one of three Cardinals who came off the bench to lift Lamar. The Cards finished the night with a 33-0 advantage in bench scoring.

After trailing for the majority of the second half, the Cardinals took their fourth lead of the half with 3:45 remaining, 63-61. After the basket by Ross to give Lamar the two-point lead, there was a total of four points scored the rest of the half as Rice hit a three-pointer from Marcus Jackson, and senior Tyran de Lattibeaudiere went 1-of-2 from the stripe to tie the game at 64. Neither team would score in the final 1:58 of regulation.

The Cardinals took command in overtime, building a six-point advantage with 1:41 remaining. The first four points came from senior Anthony Holliday, followed by a three-pointer from Booze and two free throws from de Lattibeaudiere, and the Cardinals were able to hit their free throws down the stretch to pick up the win.

Booze led all Cardinals with a career-high 17 points, while Owens added 14. Four of Lamar's five starters finished the night in double figures. De Lattibeaudiere recorded his second-straight double-double (11 points and 12 rebounds), while Bosha added 13 and seven rebounds.

The Cardinals return to action Tuesday, Dec. 30 when they host Huston-Tillotson. The game against the Rams is slated to tip off at 7 p.m. from the Montagne Center.

-LAMAR-