BEAUMONT, Texas – For the second straight season, the Lamar University women's basketball team won the Southland Conference regular season championship. The Cards defeated McNeese, 81-68, on senior day to win the championship as Chastadie Barrs, Moe Kinard and DeJa Roberts closed out their tenure at the Montagne Center.  
 
This is the first time in program history the Cardinals have won back-to-back Championships.
 
With the win, Lamar improves to 24-5 on the season and 17-1 in SCL action and clinched the top seed in the upcoming Southland Conference Tournament. McNeese falls to 7-22 and 5-13 in SLC play. This is the second straight season Lamar has finished 17-1 in Southland Conference action.
 
"We are happy with the victory. We knew McNeese would come at us with everything they had," remarked head coach Robin Harmony. "Hats off to our senior class. I am glad we got to send them out on top. I am proud of the way our kids played and that we got the job done."
 
Kinard led the Cardinals with 34 points on the night. She hit six three-pointers in the win. Miya Crump followed with 12 points rounding out the double-figure scorers. Barrs dished out a career-high 13 assists in the contest. The 13 assists are tied for third most assists in a single game in LU history.
 
Over the first two minutes and 30 seconds of the contest, Lamar held a small four-point lead, 9-5, after LU hit three three-pointers to open the contest. The third three was it by Jadyn Pimentel after Chastadie Barrs found her for the open three. Lamar continued to keep the pressure on the Cowgirls and after a Moe Kinard steal, Kinard hit a layup growing Lamar's lead to 13-6. LU continued to grow the lead as Kinard hit a three putting LU ahead 20-13. Big Red continued to hold onto a seven-point lead after one quarter of play.
 
Lamar slowly grew the lead to double-figures as a layup by Kinard put LU ahead, 27-17, with 7:51 left in the second quarter. After allowing a three to start the quarter for McNeese, the Cardinals held the Cowgirls scoreless for a four-minute stretch. With 5:47 left in the quarter, Kinard scored her 13 point of the half, as she grew the LU lead to 32-17. Forty-five seconds later, Kinard hit a three-pointer putting LU ahead 35-19. Lamar's offense would go cold following the three by Kinard as the Red and White scored four points for the remainder of the quarter. McNeese battled back in the quarter and trimmed the lead down to 10, 39-29, heading to halftime.
 
Big Red grew the lead to 12, 41-29, coming out of halftime but the Cowgirls had an answer for LU. McNeese continued to battle and following the Cards free throws scored the next six points trimming Lamar's lead down to six, 41-35. McNeese trimmed the lead down to five, 42-37 before the Cards stretched it back to double figures after a three by Kinard. The lead grew to single digits late in the third quarter but a three by Pimentel put LU ahead by 10, 55-45, after three quarters of play.
 
Over the first two minutes of the fourth quarter, LU stretched the lead to 12 after a fast-break layup by Kinard. LU could not get the lead over 12 points and each time LU took a 12-point lead McNeese answered back. Midway through the fourth quarter, LU led by nine, 65-56, and slowly extended its lead. Over the next two minutes, LU's lead grew to 15 points 72-57, after a three by Crump. McNeese trimmed the lead down to single digits one more time but a pair of free throws by DeJa Roberts put the Cards back on top by double-figures. LU came away with a 13 point, 81-68, victory.
 
The Cardinals return to action on Saturday, March 16 in the semifinals of the Southland Conference Tournament. The Cards will not know who they are playing until after the Quarterfinal contest are finished. LU tips off at 1 p.m. on Saturday from the Merrell Center.
 
SLC TOURNAMENT TICKETS
Ticket booklets and single-session tickets to the Southland Conference Tournament in Katy, Texas, are now on sale at the Montagne Center ticket office. The women's tournament runs from March 14-17.  The Montagne Center Ticket office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Ticket sells can be bought until Tuesday, March 12th at the Montagne Center. Tickets can also be purchased at the Merrell Center during the tournament by going through the LU ticket booth.
 
Fans can stay tuned to LamarCardinals.com or @LamarAthletics on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram all season long for updates on women's basketball and all other LU teams competing in the 2018-19 season.