BEAUMONT, Texas - A 25-point fourth quarter helped Lamar University pull away from a gritty UT Rio Grande Valley squad, 67-59, to open Southland Conference play Tuesday evening at the Neches Federal Credit Union Arena. This marks the ninth consecutive year that LU started 1-0 in the conference.

Jacei Denley posted a team-high 15 points on 6-of-12 shooting from the field. Solenne Olenga (5-of-9) recorded her first double-double, tallying 13 points and 10 rebounds. Also with 13 points was Kamryn Wilson, who converted 5-of-7 from the field. 

LU posted 40 percent on the floor, including six from behind the three-point arc. In addition, they outrebounded the Vaqueros, 41-36. UTRGV did get a boost by hitting 23 free throws and scoring 21 fast break points while its bench outscored the Cardinals, 22-19. 

Wilson opened the contest by scoring LU's first eight points. After a three-pointer by Olenga stretched the Cardinals' lead to 12-5, UTRGV responded with nine straight points before Chisom Oguego knotted the score at 14 apiece. The first quarter ended in LU hitting 37.5 from the field. 

It was the Denley and Oguego show with a little defensive display in the second quarter. The two combined for all 13 LU points while hitting six field goals. For the second quarter in a row, UTRGV managed 25 percent as the Cardinals held them to single digits, resulting in a 27-22 edge at halftime. 

Lamar stretched its lead out to 38-29 with 3:27 to go in the third quarter. UTRGV then seized control of the game with a 15-1 run by scoring on seven of its final eight possessions. Only a three-pointer by Denley closed the gap to 44-42 entering the final 10 minutes. 

It was an 18-3 Cardinal run that proved to be decisive as Olenga opened the fourth quarter with two straight buckets while Molly Powell added six points to turn a two-point deficit into a 60-47 advantage. Once again, the Vaqueros fought back and closed to within five, 63-58. However, a critical free-throw miss for UTRGV meant that it was never able to get within a single possession as Big Red held on for the win. 

The Cardinals will next host Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at Neches Arena on Monday, Dec. 15th. The ball will be tipped off at 6:30 p.m.  
 

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