ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - A 28-0 run by the Lamar University women's basketball team turned an early 10-point deficit into an 18-point lead at halftime of their first game at the St. Pete's Showcase. That momentum switch would help elevate LU to a 56-44 victory over the University of Texas-El Paso and improve them to 4-1.

LU had three members in double-figures with leading scorer Sabria Dean finishing with a game-high 14 points on 6-of-13 from the field. Freshman Jacei Denley posted 12 points on 50% from the field while Akasha Davis ended up with 11 points and grabbed 10 boards for a double-double. Big Red finished shooting 42.6% from the field and had 34 bench points, 21 off of turnovers, and 12 second chance points. Their defense contained the Miners to 28.8% from the field. UTEP's top scorer Jane Asinde, who entered this contest averaging close to 24 points per game, was limited to five while making one field goal. 

The Miners opened the contest with seven straight points before Davis got the Cardinals on the board with a three-point play. UTEP's lead grew to 11-3 with 4:57 to go. What happened next was a run of epic proportions that changed the course of the game. Putting the entire city of Beaumont on her back, Denley tallied LU's next five straight points, which would ignite a 10-0 run to end the first quarter. Dean, T'Aliyah Miner, and NJ Weems propelled LU up 13-11 despite being outshot (30.8%-29.4%) in the quarter. 

The quarter might've changed from first to second, but the Red Hot Cardinals did not. They opened the second quarter with a three from Mitchell and a pair of Dean jumpers. Though not affiliated with UTEP's team name, Miner, the New Orleans native, collected four points in the quarter while Davis, Dean, and Denley added seven more to end LU's second quarter with 18 points. Before the Miners scored their lone basket of the quarter, they had conceded 28 straight points and were held without a field for 12 minutes and 53 seconds of game time. LU shot 8-of-14 from the field for 57.1% while they stunned the Miners by holding them to 9.1% (1-of-11) and led 31-13 at the break.

At the start of the second half, a layup by Denley gave LU their first 20-point lead of the contest. The third quarter would be mostly free-throw affair as both teams combined for 11 free throws. Davis contributed six points in the quarter, including a lay-up that propelled the Cardinals to a massive 48-23 lead with 1:32 to go. UTEP ended the quarter with five straight to cut the margin down to 48-28.

Although LU would only tally eight fourth quarter points, they made sure the Miners couldn't capitalize from their miscues. The Miners did get to 50-34 at the midway mark, but LU's defense and second chance possessions would keep the clock running. LU never allowed UTEP out of the double-digit hole and preserved the 56-44 win.
 

LU will look to make Thanksgiving Day an enjoyable one as they will share the court with Nebraska. The tip-off is scheduled for 2:30 PM (CT). 

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