SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Junior Nick Garth came off the bench to score a game-high 16 points, and senior Colton Weisbrod recorded his eighth double-double of the season but Lamar University came up just short to UTSA Wednesday evening, 76-69, in the opening round of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament (CIT). It marks the second-straight season the Cardinals have qualified for the postseason.
 
The Cardinals (19-14) finished the night 26-of-67 (.388) from the field, including eight three-pointers, but had no answer for a UTSA squad that shot nearly 60 percent in the second half. The Roadrunners finished the night 26-of-55 (.473) from the field, and overcame a slow start from long range to hit eight three-pointers.
 
LU dominated the glass outrebounding their hosts, 41-36, including 11 offensive rebounds. The Cardinals lead on the glass gave them a 15-4 advantage in second chance points.
 
The Cardinals finished the night with four players in double figures, led by Garth's 16. Weisbrod finished the night with 12 points and 11 rebounds, while senior Joey Frenchwood and junior Josh Nzeakor each chipped in 13. Nzeakor finished a rebound shy of a double-double.
 
Deon Lyle led a group of four Roadrunners in double figures with 16 points on 5-of-12 shooting.
 
"This is  the second consecutive year that we've received a postseason bid and we value the opportunity to be able to play in the postseason, but as a program we have to take that next step," said LU head coach Tic Price. "I felt like we lost our focus and our poise when they made their run in the second half. We called a timeout and you could tell when they came over to the bench they looked dejected. We tried to get them back.
 
"At the end of the day, we didn't make our stops when we needed to. They shot 58 percent in the second half of the game, but in the first half we held them to 38 percent. We didn't lock them down in the second half."
 
UTSA led for a grand total of 20 seconds in the opening half and that lead, 1-0, came on a free throw less than a minute into the game. The Cardinals opened the game three of their first five from the field to claim an early five-point advantage. The Roadrunners managed to trim the lead down to one, 14-13, before sophomore T.J. Atwood checked into the lineup and got a tough basket in traffic. Atwood got fouled and converted the and-one to give the Cardinals a four-point lead, 17-13.
 
The Cardinals held a two-point lead, 19-17, before getting consecutive threes from Garth and senior Joey Frenchwood to give LU its largest lead of the half, 25-17. It was the largest lead for either team in the opening 20 minutes.
 
Unfortunately, the lead didn't last long as the Roadrunners scored on three consecutive possessions, including a four-point possession that saw UTSA get a three-pointer following an offensive rebound after going 1-for-2 at the free throw line.
 
The Roadrunners managed to tie the game twice in the closing minutes of the half but Big Red got a layup from Weisbrod on its final possession of the half to take a two-point lead, 33-31, into the locker room.
 
The Cardinals finished the half shooting 14-of-33 (.424) from the field, including a 4-of-10 (.400) effort on three-pointers. Big Red outrebounded the Roadrunners, 22-15, in the game's opening 20 minutes.
 
UTSA was 12-of-31 (.387) from the field, and struggled from three-point range early but began to heat up as the half wore on. The 'Runners finished the half 5-of-19 (.263) on three-pointers.
 
Both teams opened the second half on fire as UTSA converted four of its first seven, while the Cardinals hit 4-of-6 start. Despite the similarities in shooting, UTSA managed to take its second lead of the night on a three from Giovanni De Nicolao, 45-44, with 13:03 remaining. After LU tied the game at the free throw line, UTSA responded with a 7-0 run to take a seven-point lead, 53-46, on a Keaton Wallace three-pointer with less than 10 to play.
 
UTSA was aided in its run by cold shooting from the Cardinals. After opening the half 4-of-6, the Red and White began to struggle converting just two of their next eight possessions.
 
Still trailing by seven, the Cardinals caught a break when UTSA was called for an offensive foul. UTSA head coach Steve Henson erupted off the bench and was assessed a technical foul. Garth converted the two free throws and the Cardinals also scored a basket on the ensuing possession to trim the deficit down to only three points, 55-52.
 
Unfortunately, UTSA took control of the game from that point on outscoring LU, 14-8, over the next 5:30 capped by a Nick Allen and-one to take an eight-point advantage with 2:02 remaining. The Cardinals managed to trim the deficit down to a two-possession game down the stretch but could get no closer than five points as UTSA held on for the win.
 
The Cardinals end the season with their second consecutive 19-win campaign. It marks the first time since the 1983-84 and 1984-85 seasons that LU has at least 19 games in consecutive seasons.
 
-LU CARDINALS-