BEAUMONT, Texas – Lamar University's season will continue Sunday as it flies out to Portland to take on the Pilots at the Chiles Center for the second round of the WNIT. This will be the first meeting all-time between the two programs. The game will tip off at 5 p.m. Central time and will be streamed on ESPN+.
 
PREVIOUSLY
The Cardinals fell to Stephen F. Austin in the Southland Conference Tournament semifinals, 64-59, in overtime. T'Aaliyah Miner led the Cardinals with a career-high 17 points and 15 rebounds (career-high).
 
CATCHING CARDINAL LEGENDS
R'Mani Taylor will be playing her 118th career game as a Cardinal, which would tie her for 10th all-time along with Baleigh O'Dell (2014-18) and Ashlan Miles (2016-20). The Houston senior is also one assist shy of tying Cardinal great Sabria Dean (331) for sixth all-time in program history. 
 
LAST TIME LU TRAVELED OUT NORTHWEST, JACEI DID THIS
As part of the inaugural WBIT back in 2024, the Cardinals traveled to Pullman, Wash. to meet with Washington State. Jacei Denley led the Cardinals with 12 points and two assists. 
 
POSTSEASON HISTORY
This will be LU's fifth trip to the WNIT all-time. The Cardinals last made the WNIT in 2019, where they hosted South Alabama and lost, 73-71. All-time, LU has been the NCAA twice (1991, 2010), the WNIT four times (2011, 2014, 2018, 2019), the WBI twice (2013, 2017) and the WBIT once (2024).
 
ABOUT THE PILOTS
Portland (19-14) edged out Sam Houston, 62-59, in the first round Thursday. Before the WNIT, the Pilots reached the quarterfinals of the West Coast Conference before falling to Oregon State, 60-50. Defensively, they led the conference in blocks per game (5.6), turnovers forced per game (20.5) and steals per game (11.0) while finishing second in assists (16.8) and bench points (22.2) per game. Only two players – Dyani Ananiev (11.0 ppg) and Florence Dallow (10.3 ppg) are scoring in double figures. Ananiev is averaging a team high 5.2 rebounds (161) while Rhyan Mogel (161) while Rhyan Mogel has 142 assists for the season.
 
 
UP NEXT
Should the Cardinals win, they will take on the winner of either Montana State or San Francisco in the third round, which will be played sometime between March 25th-27th. The date and location will be determined.