BEAUMONT, Texas – The Lamar University men's basketball team (10-12/2-8 Southland) has been plagued by an unfortunate trend throughout the 2015-16 season – slow starts aided by turnovers, early double-digit deficits, second-half rallies and heartbreak. None of the Cardinals losses this season were more heartbreaking than Monday's 69-66 setback to Sam Houston State.
 
After trailing by as many 22 points with just over 14 minutes remaining, the Cardinals were on the verge of recording one of the best comebacks in school history, only to be turned away at the buzzer. The young Cardinals fought back and closed the gap within a point with 22 seconds remaining. After Sam Houston State hit two free throws to push the lead back to three with seven seconds remaining, the Cardinals got one final look at the basket but sophomore Kevin Booze's three-point attempts hit off the front of the rim as time expired.
 
"We are disappointed with the loss," said head coach Tic Price. "We played a good 20-minute half. We have to combine those halves and play a 40-minute game. I'm proud of this team for how they kept fighting, but at the end of the day we fell short. I thought we did a good job with our press. We had them rattled and forced 18 turnovers."
 
The Bearkats built their big lead in the first half by taking advantage of LU's struggles from the field. The Cards managed just eight field goals (.286) – including just one three-pointer – in the opening 20 minutes. The Bearkats shot 40 percent from the field and held a six-rebound advantage as they took a 35-22 lead into the locker room.
 
Sam Houston State appeared to be on the verge of blowing the game open less than six minutes into the second half, but that is when the Cardinals began their uphill climb. Sparked by two layups from freshman Josh Nzeakor and one from classmate Dorian Chatman, the Cards trimmed the lead down to 13 points with just under eight minutes remaining.
 
Led by a defensive effort that forced the visitors into 12 second-half turnovers, the Cardinals trimmed the deficit down to seven with 5:11 remaining. After free throws from Quan Jones and Chatman, followed by a layup from Jones, LU whittled the deficit down to a possession, 61-58. Both teams responded with baskets in the paint on their next possessions to make it 63-60 with 2:01 remaining. The Cardinals went back to Chatman who drove the ball to the basket and got fouled. The Port Arthur native hit both free throws to trim the 'Kats lead down to one with 45 seconds remaining – the closest LU had been since the 13:38 mark of the first half.
 
The next 38 seconds of the game would see the score bounce from three points back down to one two more times before the Cardinals got the ball back with seven seconds remaining. LU put the ball in the hands of Booze who sprinted up the floor only to see his shot fall short at the buzzer.
 
The Cardinals finished the night shooting 42 percent from the field, after knocking down 16-of-29 (.552) attempts, while SHSU shot 43 percent for the game. Neither team shot lights out from beyond the arc being held below 20 percent.
 
The Cardinals forced SHSU into 18 turnovers which they converted into 25 points – 17 in the second half, but the Bearkats converted 13-of-17 attempts from the free throw line, while LU was 14-of-21 (.667).
 
The Cardinals were led by four players in double figures, including three who finished with 12. Chatman and Nzeakor were a combined 9-of-11 (.818) from the field for 24 points. Garth also scored 12, while senior Quan Jones added 10. The Bearkats were led by 17 points from Aurimas Majauskas.
 
The Cardinals return to action Saturday when they host Incarnate Word. The game against UIW will tip off at 4:30 p.m. from the Montagne Center.
 
-LU CARDINALS-