HOUSTON, Texas – Jacei Denley fired a go-ahead three-pointer from the right corner in overtime to help Lamar University pull off a thrilling 63-60 win over Houston Christian Thursday evening. The game-winning shot coming after LU trailed by 12 points at halftime
 
The Cardinals are tied for second in the Southland Conference standings with Stephen F. Austin following UT Rio Grande Valley's loss to Northwestern State.
 
Solenne Olenga secured her third straight double-double and fourth of the season with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Jacei Denley (six assists, four steals) and Kamryn Wilson each scored 13 points.
 
Sharp Gymnasium was a tough place to win for the Cardinals, who shot 35.9 percent from the field and went 13-of-24 from the foul line. LU outrebounded the Huskies, 41-38 and forced 21 turnovers, including 14 steals. Big Red ended the night with 38 points in the paint.
 
Wilson scored the first and last points for LU, which held a one-point lead after the first quarter despite shooting 29 percent from the field. Down 7-4, Big Red answered with a 6-2 run, which ended with a Wilson buzzer-beater.
 
Wilson's early three-pointer in the second quarter put LU up 13-10. Over the rest of the quarter, HCU outscored the Cardinals, 18-3 on 53.5 percent shooting. LU hit 2-of-15 from the field and trailed by a dozen at halftime.
 
LU's offense broke out in the third quarter to score 21 points and get within three. With seven-and-a-half minutes to go, the Cardinals went on a 15-6 run, which included four points from Wilson and Taliah Hill while Olenga added six points.
 
Big Red retook the lead with four unanswered points to start the fourth quarter. For the rest of the quarter, each team traded leads and never led by more than a basket. Denley made a three-pointer to put LU ahead, 48-46, only for the Huskies to answer with three unanswered. Taylor tied the game with a free throw with 47 seconds left. Both sides had a chance to win in regulation, but five more minutes were needed to settle the score.
 
HCU led by two when Denley went to the right corner and made a three-pointer to put LU ahead for good. The Cardinals were up five with six seconds to go when HCU hit a three-pointer to cut the lead to two. Denley was fouled and converted one-of-two from the line. Taylor, playing in her hometown, would ice LU's win with a steal on HCU's inbound pass.  
 
LU will head out west to San Antonio to take on UIW Saturday at the McDermott Gym. The game will tip off at 1 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+ and broadcast on Newstalk 560 KLVI.