LAKE CHARLES, La. – It was a case of déjà vu for the Lamar University women's basketball team Saturday afternoon in Lake Charles, La. after building a double-digit lead only to see their opponent rally in the latter stages of the game for the win. The opponent Saturday was McNeese State and they overcame an 18-point deficit to record a 92-84 victory. The loss dropped LU to 10-16 on the season, and 6-9 in Southland Conference play.
 
"This is another tough loss for us," said LU head coach Robin Harmony. "We had these guys down and we didn't put them away. We let them get to the free throw line late and they made their shots. You can't do that against teams as talented as McNeese State. If there is a silver lining, we get to remember this for a week and turn right back around play them at our place."
 
After a hot start to the game, LU finished 25-of-65 (.385) from the field, including a 3-of-12 (.250) mark from beyond the three-point line. The Cowgirls were an identical 38.5 percent from the field but received a huge lift from their bench. The McNeese reserves outscored LU's bench, 40-3. The Cowgirls also took control of the boards in the second half outrebounding LU, 59-38.
 
Big Red was led in scoring by four players in double digits. Freshman Kiara Desamours scored a career-high 27 points. Senior Addesha Collins also added 27, while Chastadie Barrs scored 14 points.
 
McNeese State's Jayln Johnson led three Cowgirls in double figures with 22 points.  
 
LU jumped out to a hot start taking a 6-0 lead and knocked down five of their first six attempts. The Cardinals increased their lead to eight, 21-13, before cooling off from the field. After hitting six of their first eight attempts, LU was just two for their next eight. Despite having their percentage drop from the early minutes of the game, McNeese State couldn't take advantage.
 
The Cowgirls spent the majority of the opening quarter trying to find the range from three-point land, but couldn't find the mark. McNeese State opened the game 2-of-11 from beyond the arc. While the Cowgirls were struggling from long range, LU did the majority of its damage in the lane holding a 12-8 advantage in the paint.
 
Big Red held a five-point advantage at the end of the first quarter, but pushed that lead to double digits midway through the second behind some strong defense. After a Collins layup, Desamours stole the inbound pass and got an easy layup with 4:42 remaining to give the Red and White a 37-27 advantage. LU never let off the accelerator and took a 14-point advantage into the locker room, 50-36, following two free throws from Collins with a second left on the clock.
 
LU was aided in the opening half by converting their free throws, 19-of-21 (.905), while the Cowgirls only made five trips (3-of-5/.600) in the opening 20 minutes. McNeese State also never found the range from beyond the arc converting only 5-of-18 (.278) attempts in the first two quarters.
 
Desamours led LU in the opening half with 19 points, while Collins added 12 and sophomore Baileigh O'Dell scored 11. The Cowgirls were led in the opening 20 minutes by 12 points from Johnson and Amber Donnes.
 
The Cowgirls were held in check until the final minute of the third quarter when they went on a 5-0 run to cut the LU lead to seven points, 67-60, to close out the quarter. McNeese State was aided in its run as LU was whistled for four fouls in the final 50 seconds of the quarter.
 
McNeese State opened the final quarter by cutting the lead to three on a Keara Hudnall layup less than a minute into the fourth. The Cowgirls trimmed it to one less than two minutes later when Hudnall got another basket in the paint.
 
With the game tied at 71, Desamours went to the free throw line for what appeared to be an and-one, but LU was whistled for a technical foul for celebrating a basket. McNeese State went to the other end of the floor and hit a free throw to pull the Cowgirls back within a digit. The ball was then sent to the other end of the floor where Desamours hit her free throw to give LU back a two-point lead. McNeese State took its first lead of the game moments later on two Mercedes Rogers layups, 75-73. The game was a back and forth tilt from the rest of the quarter.
 
The Cowgirls managed to grab a three-point lead with 1:32 remaining in the contest. LU was forced to put McNeese State on the free throw line where the hosts converted 11-of-12 attempts in the final minute to hold on for the win.
 
The Cardinals return to action Wednesday when they will be back in Beaumont to host McNeese State in an immediate rematch. The game against the Cowgirls is slated to tip off at 7 p.m. and will be televised on ESPN3. Tickets can be purchased by clicking here, or by calling (409) 880-1715.
 
-LU CARDINALS-