HAMMOND, La. – Junior Terry Anderson scored 19 points and Chris Pryor hit some clutch three-pointers ending the night with 18 points as Lamar University defeated Southeastern Louisiana, 77-72, in overtime Monday evening at the Price Roofing University Center. The Cardinals wrapped the three-game road swing with a 2-1 record.
 
The victory also secured a berth in the Southland Conference Championship – Lamar's first since the 2020-21 season.
 
Anderson and Pryor were two of four Cardinals to score in double figures for an offense that finished the night shooting better than 42 percent from the field (27-of-64), including six three-pointers.
 
Junior Jakevion Buckley came off the bench to score 15 points, while Adam Hamilton added 14 points and pulled down eight rebounds. Anderson pulled down a team-high nine boards for the Red and White.
 
After trailing in rebounds at halftime, the Cardinals attacked the glass in the second half winning the battle, 42-37 (with 16 offensive rebounds).
 
After shooting nearly 50 percent in the first half, the Lions cooled off in the second. Lamar's defense held SLU to less than 38 percent in the final 25 minutes. The Lions were 25-of-60 (.417) on the night with 11 three-pointers.
 
The Lions scored the first four points of the game before Lamar responded. Sparked by two Chris Pryor three-pointers the Cardinals rattled off a 10-1 run. Big Red was 4-of-5 from the field to start the game.
 
Unfortunately, Southeastern would respond. After hitting just two of their first five attempts, SLU would go on to hit seven of its next 15 to reclaim the lead and build a seven-point advantage with less than four to play in the half.
 
The Cardinals closed the half outscoring SLU, 9-4, including a Hamilton tap-in at the buzzer to pull the Cardinals within a basket, 34-32, at halftime.
 
The Cardinals finished the half shooting 13-of-32 (.406) from the field including three triples. Southeastern was 12-of-25 (.480) from the floor with a 6-of-12 effort from long range. SLU outrebounded Lamar by one, 18-17, in the opening 20 minutes of play.
 
Lamar opened the second on an 11-5 run to take a four-point lead with 13:52 remaining in the game. Just like the first half, Southeastern rallied and held a seven-point lead late in the half (55-48/6:33 remaining).
 
 
Down seven the Cardinals rattled off an 8-3 run both sparked and capped by Pryor threes – his third and fourth of the night. The run pulled the Cards within a point heading into the final media timeout.
 
Trailing by two with 38 seconds remaining, the Cardinals got a jumper from Hamilton to tie the game at 62. Both teams had looks at the basket in the closing seconds but neither could convert forcing overtime.
 
Lamar scored the first six points of the extra stanza, but SLU managed to pull even at 72 with 1:21 remaining. Although the Lions managed to tie the game, the Cardinals never allowed their hosts to reclaim the lead as Lamar hit its free throws down the stretch.
 
The Cardinals now return home to get ready for a showdown with Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. The game against the Islanders will tip off at 6 p.m. Saturday from the Neches Federal Credit Union Arena at the Montagne Center.