SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Lamar University senior R'Mani Taylor hit a three as the buzzer sounded to end the third quarter – a basket which sparked an 11-2 run as the two teams opened the fourth – and the Cardinals separated late to defeat UIW, 80-68, Saturday at the McDermott Center.
 
The Cardinals (19-9/16-5 SLC) are now one win shy of recording their fourth consecutive 20-win season (which would be a first in program history).
 
LU finished the day shooting nearly 60 percent from the field (33-of-56/.589), which includes a 6-of-9 (.667) performance on three-pointers. Lamar also won the battle on the boards, 28-24.
 
The good guys ended the afternoon with five players in double figures led by R'Mani Taylor who came off the bench to score 15 points. She was joined in double figures by Shaila Forman with 13 and 12 each from Solenne Olenga, Jacei Denley and Kamryn Wilson.
 
LU did the majority of its damage in the paint outscoring their hosts, 50-32. Lamar also grabbed a 23-6 advantage in points off turnovers.
 
San Antonio's Cardinals were 25-of-52 (.481) from the field with nine triples but five of those came in the first quarter. UIW also turned the ball over 20 times.
 
Both teams started hot from the field converting five of their first six attempts but UIW grabbed 14-10 advantage just over four minutes into the game with three of their field goals coming from long range. The hot shooting continued heading into their first media timeout as Lamar was 7-of-10 (.700) while the Southland's other Cardinals hit 7-of-11 opportunities.
 
LU ended the opening period outshooting the bad guys, but San Antonio's version of the Cardinals went 5-of-10 from three-point land to build an eight-point lead heading into the second 10 minutes of action. LU finished the first quarter knocking down 10-of-17 (.588) attempts.
 
Big Red grabbed the momentum early in the second hitting three of their first five to spark a 7-0 run pulling within a single point, 28-27, and forcing UIW to take a timeout. The home team opened the second 0-for-2 with two turnovers (after only committing one miscue in the opening 10 minutes). Lamar reclaimed the lead moments later following an R'Mani Taylor basket.
 
The score remained 29-28 until a K.J. Walker three – Lamar's first of the day – at 3:21 remaining in the opening half. UIW settled down late in the quarter to reclaim a four-point lead, but their momentum didn't last as Lamar responded with a late surge, which included a Kamryn Wilson triple with four seconds remaining in the half to pull Big Red back within a point.
 
After the hot start both teams settled down heading into the locker room. Lamar went into halftime converting 16-of-31 (.516) from the field, while the home team was 14-of-29 (.556) with six threes (five of which came in the first quarter).
 
An early Forman basket gave Lamar back the lead and that would set the tone for the start of the second as neither team could gain more than a two-possession lead. Although the third quarter only consisted of one tie and one lead change, Lamar built a four-point advantage moments before the media timeout only to see the game tied at 51 with three minutes remaining. The tie was broken on a Taylor three with less than two to play in the quarter. Taylor's three was followed by a Denley triple moments later to reclaim a three-point advantage. For good measure, Taylor tacked on another three – her second of the quarter – right before the buzzer sounded to give LU a six-point lead, 60-54, heading into the fourth period.
 
The Cardinals carried the momentum from Taylor's previous three (to end the third) into the fourth as LU opened the quarter on an 12-2 run building a 16-point lead, 72-56, and never looked back.
 
The Cardinals return to action Monday for the 2025-26 regular-season finale against Southeastern Louisiana. The game against the Lions will tip off at 6:30 p.m. from the Neches Federal Credit Union Arena at the Montagne Center. It will also be streamed live on ESPN+.