BEAUMONT, Texas - Northern Colorado started Saturday's game with a 9-0 run, but Lamar responded with a convincing 60-43 victory at the Neches Federal Credit Union Arena at the Montagne Center. The Cardinals end the month of December at 6-4 overall.
Jacei Denley continued to lead the Cardinals in scoring for the month as she posted 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field while adding four steals, which shared the team lead along with
Sabria Dean (eight points).
Akasha Davis scored 11 points in the paint while
R'Mani Taylor added six points and dished out a game-high five assists. Another defensive contribution came from
Kamryn Wilson, who blocked a season high three shots.
LU finished the game with 46.9 percent from the field, including six three pointers. The Bears would be held to 37.5 percent and also commit 27 turnovers, which LU picked up 13 steals and capitalized with 29 points from UNC's miscues.
At first, LU had its own trouble with turnovers and couldn't solve the Bears' early 9-0 run to open the game. The Cardinals got their first points on a Wilson lay-up and with
T'Aaliyah Miner scoring four points off the bench, LU rallied to close within one at 11-10.
The second quarter was a defensive struggle as neither side scored more than nine points and shot below 35 percent. The Cardinals grabbed their first lead of the game on Davis' first field goal only to have the Bears seize a 15-12 advantage moments later. Following buckets by
Bebe Galloway and
Jacei Denley, UNC regained a four-point lead only for Taylor to connect on a three-pointer to put the score at 20-19 at the break.
Whatever halftime adjustments were made proved to be successful as come the third quarter, Big Red took command with a 12-0 run over six minutes. The LU guard tandem of Dean and Denley combined for 11 points, but it was the defense that would hold UNC to one field goal in five attempts during the quarter. Big Red's 17-5 third quarter gave itself a 36-25 lead heading into the final 10 minutes.
LU's offense broke out in the fourth quarter with 24 points on a game-high 69.23 percent shot from the field to reach the 60-point plateau. Denley had a perfect quarter scoring 10 points on four field goals and two free throws. Davis added eight points to reach double-figures while
KJ Walker closed out the game with four points off the bench.
LU will resume Southland Conference play on Jan. 2nd as it will host UIW. The tip off is scheduled for 7 p.m.
