BEAUMONT, Texas – Any doubt that Lamar University women's basketball coach Robin Harmony would earn her 200^th coaching victory Saturday were dispelled rather quickly as the Cardinals rolled to a 74-22 Southland Conference win over visiting Houston Baptist at the Montagne Center.
 
The Cardinals (20-6 overall, 13-3 Southland) led 11-4 after one quarter before outscoring the Huskies 29-5 in the second period to take a 40-9 lead into the locker room. LU didn't let off the gas in the third quarter, outscoring HBU 24-6 to lead 64-15 heading into the final period before putting it on cruise control as Harmony improved her career record to 200-99 all-time including her stints at Miami and St. Thomas. Harmony, who is in her fourth season at Lamar University is 67-51 at the helm of the Cardinals. Her 67 wins are the fourth-highest total in program history.
 
"There have been a lot of good players and a lot of good assistant coaches who helped me get to 200 wins," Harmony said. "I couldn't have done it without them."
 
The win was more than just a milestone for Harmony. The victory put the Cardinals in the driver's seat for one of the top two seeds in next month's Southland Conference Tournament, giving LU an automatic spot in the semifinals. LU moved a game ahead of SFA for the second seed after the Lumberjacks fell to first-place Central Arkansas on Saturday. LU trails Central Arkansas by one game with two games remaining. LU can guarantee itself a top-two seed by winning its two remaining regular-season games.
 
"It's a good win for us," Harmony said. "Houston Baptist is fighting to just get into the tournament. We had to be ready for them and we were."
 
The Huskies (6-20, 4-12) couldn't handle LU's pressure defense, committing 34 turnovers on the day. LU outscored HBU 37-1 in points off turnovers. When the Huskies weren't turning the ball over, they were having trouble putting in the hoop. HBU was just 9-of-46 (19.6 percent) from the field, a season-low for an LU opponent this season. The Huskies were just 1-of-15 (6.7 percent) from 3-point range for the afternoon.
 
The Cardinals dominated the inside game against the Huskies, outrebounding HBU 46-35 and holding a 41-16 advantage in points in the paint.
 
The 22 points scored by HBU tied for the sixth-lowest total by an LU opponent in program history.
 
While the Cardinals never trailed, they did get off to a bit of a slow start, shooting just 31.3 percent (5-of-16) in the first quarter. Any hopes the Huskies had of upsetting the Cardinals and ruining Harmony's party disappeared quickly in the second quarter as LU scored the first 10 points of the period, as the Cards finally found their shooting touch. LU was 21-of-37 (56.8 percent) over the next two periods as they reached the 20-win plateau for the 11^th time in program history.
 
"I think the players were a little nervous at first, but once they settled down, we were fine," Harmony said. "They were excited about the milestone."
 
LU had two players post double-doubles. Kiandra Bowers had 13 points and 10 rebounds for her 16^th double-double of the season, while Chastadie Barrs had her first double-double of the season with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Barrs flirted with a double-double, finishing with eight assists and eight steals. She now has at least one steal in all 57 career games. Barrs leads the nation in steals, averaging 4.67 per game.

Barrs wasn't the only one getting in o the defensive act Saturday, as nine Cardinals recorded at least one steal. Kiara Desamours had four steals, Kiandra Bowers had three steals and Ashlan Miles had two steals. Miles finished with 11 points, while Moe Kinard added 10 points for the Cardinals.

Shannon Jones led HBU with eight points. Taylor Kollmorgen grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds.

The 52-point margin of victory was LU's largest since a 99-34 win over Louisiana College on Nov. 19, 2015.
 
UP NEXT: The Cardinals play their final home game of the regular season at 7 p.m. Wednesday as Nicholls comes to the Montagne Center. LU wraps up the regular season at 1 p.m. March 4 at McNeese. A win over Nicholls would give LU a perfect 15-0 home record this season, their first perfect home campaign since the 2009-10 team that went to the NCAA Tournament.
 
WOMAN OF STEAL: With her eight steals, Barrs has 122 for the season, one shy of the 123 she had last season and 10 shy of the school record of 132 set by Ramona Jones in 1990-91.
 
HOW LOW CAN YOU GO: The LU record for fewest points allowed is 11, set in a 72-11 victory over Rice on Jan. 23, 1975. HBU's 22 points are the fewest points allowed since a 64-19 win over Northwood on Dec. 18, 2012.
 
TICKETS: Tickets for all LU home games are available by calling 409-880-1715, or by CLICKING HERE. The Montagne Center ticket office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. It opens one hour prior to tipoff game nights.
 
SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT TICKETS: The LU ticket office is selling individual-game tickets and all-season ticket booklets for the Southland Conference Tournament, set for March 8-12 at the Leonard E. Merrell Center in Katy, Texas. Tickets for LU's first game are $15 each. The tournament ticket booklet, which includes the four sessions for the men's tournament and the four sessions for the women's tourney, is $60. Contact the LU ticket office at 409-880-1715, or CLICK HERE for first-round tickets, or CLICK HERE for the ticket booklet. LU will also have a ticket window at the Merrell Center prior to each LU game in the tourney