COMMERCE, Texas – Lamar University rattled off a 17-0 second half run to erase a 13-point second half deficit to defeat East Texas A&M, 69-62, Wednesday afternoon at the Commerce Fieldhouse.
 
The victory, LU's second consecutive road win, moves the Cardinals to 7-6 overall and 2-2 in SLC play.
 
The Cardinals shot 50 percent in the second half to overcome a tough opening half and end the game 26-of-64 (.406) from the field with five three-pointers. Lamar also took care of their opportunities at the free throw line going 12-of-17 (.706) – which included a 10-of-12 effort in the second half.
 
Lamar also outrebounded the Lions, 38-34, after trailing their hosts at the break. Among Lamar's 38 boards, 14 came on the offensive glass leading to 20 second chance points. 
 
In the second half, Lamar really began to assert its authority in the paint and finished the day outscoring ETAMU, 34-18, down low.
 
It was the opposite story for East Texas. After closing the first half on a big run to take a nine-point lead, the Lions struggled in the second half to the tune of 29 percent from the field and ended the game 19-of-51 (.373). They managed to hang close converting 10 three-pointers and going 14-of-16 (.875) from the free throw line.
 
Senior Andrew Holifield led trio of Cardinals in double figures. The Beaumont native netted 16 points, while King-Njhsanni Wilhite scored 15 and Rob Lee, Jr. added 13. Sophomore Braden East just missed another double-double with nine points and nine rebounds.
 
Lamar appeared to pick up right where it left off Monday evening. After falling behind in the first two minutes of the game, 4-2, the Cardinals responded with a 10-0 run and appeared to be off and running.
 
During the Cardinals' run, East Texas A&M was just 3-of-14 (.214) with all three baskets (dunks) coming from Ronnie Harrison. At one point, Harrison had all 11 points for the Lions as the rest of the team opened the game 0-for-11 from the field but things would change in the final five minutes.
 
ETAMU began to heat up late turning a double-digit deficit into a nine-point lead heading into the locker room. The Lions hit six of their next 10 while the Cardinals converted just one of their next 10 and ETAMU closed the half on a 19-3 run to carry a 34-25 lead into the locker room.
 
Big Red finished the first half 10-of-32 (.313) from the field with three triples. East Texas closed the half hitting nine of its final 14 attempts to go into the locker room shooting 44.4 percent from the field with six three-pointers. The Lions also outgained Lamar by one on the glass, 19-18, in the opening 20 minutes.
 
Early in the second half, ETAMU grabbed a 13-point lead and things began to look bleak for the Red and White, but Lamar responded immediately. The Cardinals again turned to their defense and ETAMU suddenly found itself in a scoring drought for nearly three minutes and Lamar took advantage. The Cardinals scored the next six points trimming the double-digit deficit down to five with less than 12 to play.
 
The drought continued as Holifield gave Big Red the lead back with a basket at 10:14 mark. The lead grew to four moments later when Wilhite grabbed an offensive board and found Holifield open in the corner.
 
The Cardinals run ballooned to 17-0 over a span of 7:27. The Lions' Ronnie Harrison (19 points) would eventually hit a three to end the drought but the damage had been done as LU would not surrender the lead down the stretch.
 
Lamar returns to action Friday when the make the short trip east to take on Battle of the Border rival McNeese. The game will tip off at 6 p.m. from Townsley Law Arena. It will be televised on CBS Sports.