LAKE CHARLES, La. – Lamar University junior Alexis Marmolejos scored a game-high 20 points, but the Cardinals came up just short at McNeese, 75-64, Saturday afternoon at the Legacy Center.
 
Marmolejos was one of three Cardinals who scored in double figures for an LU (9-9/4-3 Southland) squad that outshot McNeese Saturday. Big Red was 22-of-46 (. 478) from the field, including seven three-pointers and a 51.9 percent clip in the second half. McNeese finished the day 25-of-58 (.431) with nine makes from long range.
 
Despite LU's hot shooting from the field in the final 20 minutes, McNeese was able to match it converting nearly 57 percent of its attempts.
 
The Cardinals also outrebounded McNeese, 34-32, including 10 offensive rebounds.
 
Marmolejos was joined in double figures by Andrew Holifield (11 points) and Cody Pennebaker (10).
 
Turnovers played a key role in the contest. LU turned it over 16 times which McNeese cashed in for 23 points. The Cowboys turned the ball over just seven times which Lamar converted into 11 points.
 
After Lamar opened the scoring with an Alexis Marmolejos three, the Cowboys responded with nine unanswered points. Despite the small McNeese run, LU never stopped attacking from the outside getting triples from Danquez Dawsey, Ja'Sean Jackson and another from Marmolejos to tie the game at 13 with 11:47 remaining in the opening half. The Cardinals opened the half converting four of their first 11 with all four makes coming from three-point range.
 
The Cowboys responded to Lamar's run to tie things up by taking a seven-point lead. The Cardinals had trimmed that lead down to four when Errol White drove the baseline and hung in the air to get the reverse pulling the Cardinals within a basket, 22-20, with just over six minutes remaining in the half.
 
Unfortunately, Lamar could get no closer before halftime as McNeese pushed its lead to as many as 13 before taking a 35-24 advantage into the locker room. The Cardinals finished the opening 20 minutes knocking down 8-of-19 (.421) attempts including a 5-of-11 (.455) effort from long range. The Cardinals outshot McNeese in the first half as the Cowboys converted 12-of-35 (.343) from the field and 5-of-17 (.294) from three-point range. The Cardinals were hurt by 10 first-half turnovers which McNeese converted into 15 points. The Cowboys only turned the ball over twice in the opening 20 minutes.
 
The Cardinals remained on the attack early in the second half as Marmolejos buried his third three of the day to pull the Cardinals within 11 with just under 16 to play. The game remained either a three or four possession game for the home team until a Marmolejos layup got Big Red within nine and on the ensuing inbound pass he took an elbow to the face. The Cardinals converted on the next possession to make it a seven-point game with less than 10 to play. Moments later it was a five-point deficit following two Jackson free throws. Unfortunately, the Cardinals could get no closer as McNeese held on for an 11-point decision.
 
The Cardinals will now turn their attention to Monday at Nicholls. The game, which was moved to a 1 p.m. start due to threat of freezing weather conditions late Monday evening, is still scheduled to be broadcast on ESPN+.