Feb. 13, 2014
BEAUMONT, Texas - Gia Ayers was on a mission Thursday night. As a result, the Lamar Lady Cardinals are tied for first place in the Southland Conference.
Ayers grabbed a defensive rebound and raced the length of the court for the game-winning bucket to give Lamar a 75-73 win over visiting Stephen F. Austin in the Montagne Center.
Ayers just missed her first career triple-double, as she tied her career high with 30 points to go along with 10 rebounds and nine assists as Lamar (14-9 overall, 9-3 Southland) moved into a tie for first place with Central Arkansas after the Sugar Bears fell at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
"I got the rebound and my first thought was to go the length of the court," Ayers said. "I knew they weren't going to foul."
Lamar's pressure defense had a big hand in the win, as the Lady Cardinals forced SFA (13-11, 7-5) into 23 turnovers. For the game, Lamar had a 33-8 edge in points off turnovers. By comparison, Lamar committed just eight turnovers.
SFA had its chances at the end, missing a 3-pointer and two jumpers in the final seconds. Ayers had a hand in sealing the win as she blocked Brentney Branch's shot. Lamar's Dominique Edwards collected the rebound to run out the clock.
"Call us the `Cardiac Cardinals,'" Lamar coach Robin Harmony said. "We had some chances to put it away earlier, but we found a way to do it at the end."
JaMeisha Edwards had 13 points for Lamar, while Kiandra Bowers added 12 points and five rebounds. Bowers has scored in double figures in three of Lamar's last four games.
"I think she's playing like the Freshman of the Year," Harmony said. "She has to keep that up over the last six games, but I can't think of a freshman in the conference who is better."
Porsha Roberts had 21 points and 19 rebounds to lead SFA, which got 14 points from Tierany Henderson and 13 points from Branch.
The win avenged Lamar's 64-43 loss at SFA in the conference opener on Jan. 2.
"They took it to us in that one," Harmony said. "This was a bit of payback."
Lamar returns to action at 4 p.m. Saturday when it hosts Northwestern State (13-11, 6-6). The Lady Demons dropped a 57-53 decision at Sam Houston State on Thursday.
"We control our own destiny," Harmony said. "We can't afford to take a night off. Every game is important. We want to be the top seed."
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