FARMVILLE, Va. – Lamar University's Chris Pryor scored a game-high 19 points as the Cardinals defeated Bethune-Cookman, 83-65, Friday afternoon on the opening day of the Longwood MTE in Farmville, Va.
 
The Cardinals finished the game 26-of-52 (.500) from the field and were even more dangerous from long range. The Cardinals connected on 10-of-17 (.588) three-pointers but struggled a bit from the free throw line (20-of-29/.690).
 
Lamar closed the game shooting 14-of-25 (.560) in the second half.
 
The Cardinals struggled at times hanging onto the ball committing 22 turnovers which the Wildcats converted into 22 points.
 
Although Bethune-Cookman picked up the pace in the second half knocking down 50 percent of its shots in the final 20 minutes the Wildcats ended the day just 36 percent from the field, with eight three-pointers (six of which came in the second half).
 
Lamar won the battle on the boards, 42-29.
 
Pryor was one of one of three Cardinals in double figures. He was joined by 15 from Ja'Sean Jackson and Adam Hamilton's 10. Terry Anderson just missed a double-double with nine points and 11 rebounds.
 
Jakobi Heady led Bethune-Cookman's attack with 18 points on 7-of-13 shooting.
 
Lamar took advantage of a slow start from Bethune-Cookman to build an early double-digit lead. The Cardinals knocked down five of their first seven attempts, while at the same time BC converted just one of its first seven. The Cardinals managed to build a 15-5 advantage during that stretch and pushed it to as many as 13 points midway through the opening half.
 
The Wildcats found their stride late in the half and rattled off six consecutive points to pull within seven with 6:36 remaining, but Lamar responded. The Cardinals rattled off an 11-3 run to push their lead to 15 points, 36-21, with 1:33 remaining in the half. The Cardinals carried a 13-point lead into the locker room.
 
Despite cooling off in the latter stages of the half, Big Red still managed a 12-of-27 (.444) effort from the field, including four three-pointers, in the opening 20 minutes of action. The Cardinals also took advantage of their trips to the free throw line (8-of-11/.727).
 
The Cardinals also held a two-rebound advantage on the glass, 20-18, in the first half.
 
The Wildcats were held to just six field goals (.207) in the opening half, with only two of those coming from long range. Bethune-Cookman was also strong at the free throw line converting all but two attempts (9-of-11/.818). BC had a 10-0 advantage on fast break points in the opening 20 minutes.
 
The Cardinals opened the second half on an 11-0 run after three-pointers from Terry Anderson and Je'Sean Jackson and an and-one from Hamilton to build a 24-point advantage before Bethune-Cookman could get back on the scoreboard.
 
BC made a late second half run, 16-5, to pull within 9, 69-60, but Jackson ended the run with a basket with 4:33 remaining. The Cardinals managed to hold off any significant Bethune-Cookman runs by opening the second half knocking down 10 of their first 15 attempts as the Wildcats could get no closer than nine points in the second half.
 
Lamar returns to action Saturday when it takes on tournament-host Longwood. The game will tip off 3 p.m. (2 p.m. Beaumont time) from the Joan Perry Brock Center.