Box Score

LAKE CHARLES, La. - A Kevin Hardy basket with six seconds remaining sent the Lamar Cardinals home empty handed Monday night in a classic rivalry game between LU and McNeese State. The game-winning basket came moments after a Lamar turnover setting up Hardy's heroics for a 70-69 McNeese State victory.

The loss drops Lamar to 15-14 on the season, and 9-8 in Southland Conference play, and thwarted the Cards attempt at picking up their first win in Lake Charles since the 1997-98 season, and prevented the first sweep since the 1993-94 season.

"Obviously, we are disappointed," said head coach Tic Price. "That moment never happens if we make stops earlier in the game. They beat us off the dribble several times tonight for some easy baskets, and our defense didn't react. We fought with everything we had but didn't make the plays when needed to. This was a classic McNeese-Lamar basketball game."

Lamar wasn't able to slow down McNeese's offense. The Cowboys finished the night shooting 52 percent from the field, including a 9-of-13 (.692) performance from beyond the arc. McNeese State was led by 23 points from DeSharick Guidry's, who also pulled down 13 rebounds.

After opening the game shooting 50 percent from the field, Lamar finished the game 23-for-50 (.460), after shooting less than 42 percent in the second half. The Cards also knocked down nine threes, but took eight more attempts than their hosts.

Lamar found an advantage on the glass outrebounding the Cowboys, 34-25, including 14 offensive boards. The Cardinals advantage in offensive rebounds led to a 19-11 lead in second chance points.

Senior Anthony Holliday led Lamar with 26 points on 5-of-7 shooting from three-point range, while classmate Tyran de Lattibeaudiere scored 14 points and pulled down 11 rebounds. It is the fourth double-double for the Kingston, Jamaica native in the past five games. Senior Donovan Ross added 13 points and nine rebounds.

The first half of the rivalry was a tight game that saw neither team give an inch. The Cowboys took the early lead, 5-2, but the Cardinals rattled off a quick 8-0 run, to jump out in front of their hosts by five. Neither team could manage more than a six-point advantage in the opening half.

The Cardinals regained a five-point edge following a Marcus Owens three-pointer with just over seven minutes remaining in the half. It would be the last basket the Cards would score for more than four minutes. The Cowboys were unable to take advantage of the drought as senior Donovan Ross got LU back on the scoreboard when he followed a miss with a tip in. The Ross basket put the Cardinals back up by three points.

Despite Lamar's ability to come up with the key basket when they needed it, McNeese State took a one-point lead into locker room. The Cowboys Keelan Garrett buried a three-pointer at the buzzer to give the home team a 33-32 lead at the intermission.

Both teams shot at least 50 percent from the field in the opening half. Lamar was 13-of-26 (.500), but struggled from the free throw line connecting on just 3-of-8 (.375) attempts. The Cowboys knocked down just as many shots in the first half, but were 5-of-7 (.714) from beyond the arc.

The Cardinals built their advantage to seven points following a Holliday three-pointer midway through the second half. After McNeese answered with a three of its own, Holliday responded by giving LU back the seven-point lead. The Cardinals lead was trimmed to just two points following a 5-0 McNeese run. Junior Dontavious Sears ended the run when he buried a triple with less than eight minutes remaining.

After falling behind by a point with less than six minutes remaining, Holliday put LU back in front with two free throws. It was a lead Lamar would hold for the next 5:06 of the contest. The final three minutes of the game watched both teams alternate free throws. After Guidry pulled the Cowboys within a point, 69-68, with 23 seconds remaining McNeese State called a timeout to set up their defense.

Lamar inbounded the ball cleanly to Holliday who cut to the left and looked up the floor to Quan Jones, but Holliday's pass went through Jones' hands out of bounds. The Cowboys got the ball back and left it in the hands of Hardy who scored the game-winning basket with seconds remaining.

The Cardinals return home for the 2014-15 regular-season finale Thursday when it hosts Sam Houston State. The game against the Bearkats is slated to tip off at 7:30 p.m. from the Montagne Center. Lamar will honor its senior class prior to the tip off.

-LAMAR-