RALEIGH, N.C. – Forcing double the number of turnovers they committed and doubling up the Wolfpack in blocks, Lamar University's women's basketball team had several bright spots Thursday night while playing on the road against a team that could win the Atlantic Coast Conference. Ultimately the Cardinals fell to #14 North Carolina State 81-40.
 
Lamar won the jump ball but couldn't score early with an illegal screen and two missed threes. Kayla Mitchell scored the first four points for Lamar, striking first on a 20-foot jumper, then calling her own number about a minute later on a jumper at the free throw stripe. NC State led 9-4 through the first few minutes, but foul trouble in just the first three minutes allowed the Wolfpack to build a comfortable lead by the first media stoppage – 13-4. NC State traded two baskets for every one by Lamar, and by the end of the first led 23-9.
 
The Cardinals defense locked in during the second quarter, forcing seven Wolfpack turnovers including four offensive fouls. Big Red battled the lead down to just 11 points, 25-14, thanks to a Jadyn Pimentel three-pointer from the top of the key and a Rikiah Cowart driving layup. The Cards held NC State to just free throws and no made field goals for 3:15 in that span, but NC State began to pull away again late in the period. At the half NCSU led 40-19.
 
Big Red continued to play hard in the third quarter, forcing several more turnovers and offensive fouls by the Wolfpack, but a strong shooting performance by NC State allowed a wider margin to open up. The Wolfpack hit half of their threes in the period and shot 62.5 percent from the floor, and though the Cards got more offensive opportunities than NCSU, they couldn't quite match the shooting percentage. LU trailed 64-30 at the end of three quarters.
 
NC State grew its lead to the biggest of the game with 4:31 to go, leading 81-32, but Lamar scored the final eight points of the game while holding the Wolfpack scoreless. The Cardinals blocked shots, forced turnovers, and won every 50-50 ball and shut down NCSU until the final horn. At the buzzer #14 NC State won 81-40.
 
The Cardinals take a week off before traveling to another Power 5 test, playing at #2 Baylor on Nov. 21.