BEAUMONT, Texas – Despite a game-high 21 points from Beaumont senior T.J. Atwood, Lamar University was outscored 20-8 in the final 7:25 as Abilene Christian pulled away late for a 74-62 victory. The loss marked the first time this season that LU has dropped a game in the Montagne Center.
 
The Cardinals finished the day shooting 22-of-49 (.449) from the field but opened the game with a 12-of-22 (.545) performance in the first half. The Cardinals were unable to continue that pace in the second half shooting just 37 percent (10-of-27).
 
Abilene Christian followed a completely different script shooting less than 40 percent in the opening half and finished the contest with a 14-of-28 (.500) performance in the second. The Wildcats were 28-of-64 (.438) on the afternoon including seven three-pointers.
 
The two teams each finished the day with 34 rebounds but the Wildcats grabbed four more offensive rebounds than LU. Abilene Christian ended the day with a nine-point advantage in second chance points.
 
ACU also forced the Cardinals into 22 turnovers and took advantage of the mistakes scoring 27 points off the miscues. LU only managed to force their guests into 12 which led to just 12 points on the other end of the floor.
 
"ACU is a very good basketball team," said LU head coach Tic Price. "They have championship basketball in their DNA. We knew they were going to bring their very best for 40 minutes. I felt like we only played one solid half of basketball. You have to bring a better effort than that if you hope to win in this league. We allowed way too many second shot opportunities on the offensive boards. ACU is too good of a team to allow them a second chance."
 
In addition to Atwood's 21 points, sophomore Davion Buster came off the bench to add 14 points on 4-of-8 shooting from beyond the arc. The Cardinals also got 14 points and seven rebounds from junior Avery Sullivan. The Wildcats were led by 13 points from Joe Pleasant.
 
The Cardinals led by as many as nine points in the first half, but ACU managed to fight their way back before halftime even taking a one-point lead with 1:10 remaining before the Cardinals went into the locker room with the lead, 33-32.
 
The game remained close through the first 11 minutes of the second half and neither team could gain more than a two possession advantage. The Wildcats got a three-pointer from Coryon Mason with 8:56 remaining and it would prove to be a momentum changer – the final one of the game.
 
The ACU basket sparked 20-8 run over the closing minutes of the contest as the Wildcats pushed their advantage to double-figures late in the game. The Wildcats pushed their lead to 11 points after a Payten Ricks steal and conversion at the other end of the floor. The visitors pushed their lead to as many as 15 before the Cardinals trimmed the lead down to 12, 74-62, on the final scoreboard.
 
The Red and White return to action Wednesday when they host Nicholls. The game against the Colonels will tip off at 7 p.m. from the Montagne Center, and can be heard live on Newstalk 560 KLVI.