BEAUMONT, Texas – Senior Ja'Sean Jackson hit a leaner with less than a second to play to give Lamar University a 63-61 victory over Houston Christian Saturday evening in the Southland Conference home opener. The basket capped a thrilling comeback and keeps the Cardinals tied for first in the conference standings with an 8-6 overall record and a perfect 3-0 league record.
 
For the Cardinals to win their seventh game in the last eight outings, and for Jackson to play the role of hero, Big Red had to rally from a 10-point first half deficit and overcome an opening 20 minutes that saw them get outshot and outrebounded by Houston Christian – the Huskies held an 11-rebound advantage at the intermission.
 
The Cardinals ended the night shooting 28-of-67 (.418) from the field, including five three-pointers, and outrebounded HCU by four in the second half. While Jackson took the spotlight at the end of the game, the Cardinals were led in scoring by junior Alexis Marmolejos' 21 points, three rebounds, four assists and four steals, while Andrew Holifield added 11 points.
 
The Cardinals held HCU to a 23-of-58 (.397) performance from the field, including eight three-pointers, but the Huskies only connected for eight second half field goals as Lamar's defense limited its guests to just 33 percent in the final 20 minutes.
 
Turnovers also played a key role in the contest and LU forced the Huskies into 17 which were converted into 27 points. Lamar only turned it over seven times and limited HCU to just six points off turnovers.
 
Big Red trailed by seven points at the intermission but came out of the locker room as a different squad. The Cardinals open the half on a 16-0 run to take a nine-point lead, 45-36, with 14:37 remaining. The Huskies did not record a second half basket until a three from Bryson Dawkins at the 14:15 mark. Unfortunately, the lead would not grow beyond nine as HCU would chip away. The Huskies drew even at 56 with less than four to play on another Dawkins basket. Moments later, HCU claimed a three-point advantage.
 
The lead was still three when Marmolejos got a pass from Jackson, raced by a defender for a layup drawing the foul. Marmolejos converted the and-won tying the game back at 61 with just over a minute to play.  
 
LU forced a turnover on the next Husky possession getting the ball back with 43 seconds. After a foul against HCU, and with time winding down, the Cardinals got the ball to Jackson who drove to his right and elevated through traffic to hit a leaner from the baseline from 10 feet out to take the lead with two-tenths of a second remaining.
 
Adam Hamilton picked off the ensuing full court pass to put the final touch on the win.
 
The Cardinals will now turn their attention to a Monday night contest against UIW. The league's other Cardinals are 9-5 overall and tied for fourth in the conference standings with a 2-1 league record.  Monday's game will tip off at 7 p.m. from the Neches Federal Credit Union Arena at the Montagne Center.