BEAUMONT, Texas – The Lamar University women's basketball program gets the 2020-21 season underway when they head to College Station, Texas to square off against No. 13 Texas A&M on Wednesday at 12:00 p.m. (CT).
The Cardinals are returning two starters and seven letterwinners from a season ago and are under the direction of second-year head coach
Aqua Franklin. This will mark the second matchup against the Aggies in three years for the Cards, and the first match up of the programs under Franklin.
Lamar placed two student-athletes on the preseason Southland Conference Second Team with senior
Jadyn Pimentel and junior
Angel Hastings. Pimentel was selected after a solid junior season performance after she racked up 93 steals and stayed in the top ten nationally over the course of the season. Hastings returns as the leading scorer for the Cards after she averaged 12.4 points per game a season ago.
This will mark the 26
th meeting between the programs on the hardwood with the Aggies holding a series advantage, 15-10, over the Cards. In the previous contest, LU recorded their fourth victory over a ranked opponent as they upset then-No. 17 Texas A&M, 74-68, and were led by LU standout Chastadie Barrs who registered 23 points in the win.
RECAPPING OUR LAST GAME
- The Lamar University women's basketball team stormed to victory against border rivals McNeese on Saturday afternoon, 80-70, on Senior Day.
- Prior to the game, the raucous crowd inside the Montagne Center honoured three Cardinal seniors; Briana Laidler, Ashlan Miles and Amber Vidal. Vidal was also presented a decorative ball commemorating her 1,000-plus points over the course of her collegiate career.
- An equally competitive second quarter saw both teams vying for the lead and the Cardinals Malay McQueen steered the quest for the lead. McQueen's successful three point shot with 4 minutes of play left brought the teams level at 31-31 and put McQueen on 11 points. The Cardinals free throw percentage of 41.7 cost them dearly and at the end of the quarter, the Cowgirls lead 36-33.
- The Cardinals weathered a spirited effort from the Cowgirls in the fourth quarter. At the timeout with five minutes to play, the Cowgirls had brought the game to within nine points. However, doubles from Vidal (17 points), Pimentel (16 points), McQueen (15 points), and Laidler (10 points) ensured the Cardinals closed out the 2019/20 season with an 80-70 win and a clean sweep over McNeese in the Battle of the Border.
