PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas – Lamar University women's basketball coach Robin Harmony saw her young team play with a fiery passion that was missing earlier in the season despite dropping an 80-72 decision to host Prairie View A&M in a non-conference game Saturday evening.
 
"We're getting better," Harmony said. "The effort was there tonight, we're just making some mistakes that are the result of inexperience. We just have to learn to play hard for 40 minutes and finish games."
 
The Cardinals (2-5) led for most of the contest, holding a 26-17 advantage after one quarter and taking a 44-35 lead into intermission. The Cardinals led 57-54 after three quarters only to see Prairie View A&M (4-1) outscore LU 26-15 in the last period.
 
"We outplayed them in the first half and hung with them in the third quarter, but they are a good team and took advantage of our mistakes. Give them credit, that's a good team that should win their conference."
 
LU was on fire from the field in the first half, hitting 51.6 percent of its shots (16-of-31) over the first two periods, including 50 percent (7-of-14) from 3-point range. The Cardinals couldn't maintain that pace in the second half, connecting on just 34.6 percent of their attempts (9-of-26) after the break.http://www.lamarcardinals.com/sports/2015/9/17/WBB_0917152523.aspx?path=wbball
 
Addesha Collins had a career-high 25 points off the bench for LU, while JaMeisha Edwards added 17 points.
 
The Panthers dominated the boards, outrebounding LU 46-29, resulting in a 20-7 advantage in second-chance points.
"We have to do a better job rebounding," Harmony said. "You can't give a team that many second-chance point and expect to win. We have to fight harder for some of those balls."
 
Prairie View A&M had four players score in double figures, led by Jeronia Allen and Lamaria Cole with 20 points apiece. Larissa Scott added 12 points and 13 rebounds, while Tori Carter finished with 10 points.
 
Laka Blache had a team-high six rebounds for LU, which started three freshmen (Khali Pippins-Tryon, Chastadie Barrs, Kiara Desamours) and one sophomore (Blache).
 
"We're essentially starting four freshmen because Laka didn't play much last season," Harmony said. "There's going to be some growing pains, but I'm looking at the big picture. If we continue to work hard and improve, we'll be ready for our conference schedule in January. That's what is important."
 
The Cardinals take a break for final exams before opening a two-game homestand at 7 p.m. Dec. 14, when Canisius College of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference makes the trek from Buffalo, N.Y., to Beaumont, Texas. LU hosts Texas A&M-Kingsville at 7 p.m. Dec. 17.
 
"We'll take care of business in the classroom and then come back looking to get two wins at home," Harmony said.
 
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