Lamar downs New Orleans 71-57 in SLC Tournament

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved

LAKE CHARLES, LOUISIANA (March 11, 2024) In an electrifying quarterfinal showdown at the Legacy Center, Lamar University's basketball team emerged victorious, defeating the New Orleans Privateers with a final score of 71-57 at the Southland Conference Championship.

Junior standout Terry Anderson shone bright on the court, leading the charge with an impressive 20-point performance, showcasing his prowess as a key player for the Cardinals.

Throughout the game, Anderson found ample support from his teammates, notably sophomore Cody Pennebaker, who added 13 points to Lamar's tally. Together, they propelled the Cardinals to victory, shooting at a commendable 43 percent from the field.

One of the decisive factors in Lamar's triumph was their exceptional performance at the free throw line, where they converted an impressive 20 out of 21 attempts, demonstrating their precision and composure under pressure. Moreover, the Cardinals capitalized on their rebounding prowess, securing a five-rebound advantage over the Privateers, with 14 crucial offensive rebounds leading to 18 valuable second-chance points.

Despite a strong start from the New Orleans side, Lamar demonstrated resilience and determination, clawing their way back into the game after an initial deficit. The Cardinals' tenacious defense and strategic turnovers ultimately shifted the momentum in their favor, allowing them to seize control and build a substantial lead by halftime.

In the second half, although the Privateers attempted to mount a comeback on several occasions, Lamar's relentless offense and staunch defense proved too formidable to overcome. With less than 16 minutes remaining on the clock, UNO managed to narrow the gap, but Lamar responded swiftly, embarking on a decisive 14-8 run to secure a comfortable lead and clinch the victory.

Lamar Cardinals dominate Paul Quinn College to close out 2023

Photo by
Darla S Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved

BEAUMONT, TEXAS (January 30, 2023) In a commanding performance, the Lamar Cardinals showcased their depth and offensive prowess as they ended 2023 with a resounding 91-64 victory over Paul Quinn College on Saturday evening.

The Cardinals' offensive power was evident, with a 47.1 percent shooting accuracy from the field, including eight successful three-pointers. Terry Anderson and Adam Hamilton led the charge with 15 points each. Anderson also secured with a double-double with 10 rebounds in addition to his 15 points.

Lamar had four players finish in double figures, with Ja'Sean Jackson contributing 12 points and Chris Pryor adding 10 to the scoreboard. Lamar's dominance extended to the boards, where they outrebounded Paul Quinn 56-25. Janko Bulijic and Anderson both recorded double-figure rebounds, highlighting Lamar's prowess in controlling the paint.

Key to Lamar's success was their ability to capitalize on second-chance opportunities, amassing 28 points from offensive rebounds. Additionally, the Cardinals capitalized on Paul Quinn's 18 turnovers, converting them into 32 points.

As Lamar shifts its focus to Southland Conference play, they will face Northwestern State in their next matchup on Saturday, January 6 at the Montagne Center, tipping off at 6 p.m.

Denley's last second three-pointer rallies Lamar Cardinals to a 61-58 win over Loyola Marymount.

Photo by Darla S Tamulitis, La Vida Loca Photography
Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved

BEAUMONT, TEXAS (December 30, 2023) Beaumont native Jacei Denley (shown left) showed what she could do in a clutch with a buzzer-beater basket to give the Lamar University women's basketball team a 61-58 victory over Loyola Marymount Lions on Saturday evening. Denley finished as the game's top scorer with 15 points.

The Cardinals fell behind 11-2 in the first quarter. However, Denley, along with Malay McQueen, ignited a three-point barrage, cutting the Lions' lead however, they still maintained an 18-10 lead after the first quarter.

Facing a double-digit halftime deficit, Lamar mounted a turnaround in the third quarter. The Lady Cradinals outscored LMU 16-9, with Akasha Davis, Sabria Dean, and Denley leading the charge. The Cardinals entered the final quarter trailing 43-40.

The closing minutes saw both teams locked in a tight battle score  tied at 58 with 2:01 remaining. Denley's clutch three-pointer gave Lamar a 61-58 lead with just three-tenths of a second left on the clock.

This win propelled Lamar into 2024 with a 6-4 record as they prepare to host UIW on January 4 at 7:00 p.m.

Cowgirls Drop SLC Opener Against Lamar

BEAUMONT, TEXAS (December 31, 2022)  McNeese women’s basketball jumped out to an early four point lead but Lamar caught fire from three-point range on its way to an 82-61 Southland Conference opening win here Saturday.

The loss drops McNeese to 3-9 overall and 0-1 in league play while Lamar improves to 7-5 overall and 1-0 in the SLC.

Stephanie Guihon was the only Cowgirl to score in double figures, ending the game with 17 points.  Thirteen of Guihon’s 17 points came from the free throw line as she finished the game making 13 of 15 from the charity stripe.

McNeese was held to a 33.9 shooting percent (19-56) including 18.8 percent (3-16) from three-point range while Lamar ended the game shooting 44.1 percent (30-68) and a blistering 54.5 three-point percent (12-22).

The Cardinals also outrebounded the Cowgirls 44-38, something McNeese head coach Lynn Kennedy said the Cowgirls needed to improve on.  Turnovers have also been an issue for the Cowgirls this season. McNeese turned the ball over 18 times in the game resulting in 24 Lamar points.

Lamar had three players score in double figures with Sabrina Dean leading all players with a game high 20 points.  Dean was 8 of 13 from the field and 3 of 4 from behind the arc.  Akasha Davis chipped in 16 points and Portia Adams ended the game with 12 points, all coming from three-point range.

McNeese will return to action on Thursday, Jan. 5 to host Northwestern State in its SLC home opener. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. at the Legacy Center.

HCU Huskies down Lamar Cardinals 37-34

Story and photo by Robert H Kelly 

Copyright 2022 All Rights Reserved 

 
BEAUMONT, TEXAS (October 1, 2022) The Houston Christian University Huskies picked up their second win of the season, and move to 1-0 in Southland Conference play as a results of their 37-34 win over the Lamar Cardinals at Provost Umphrey Stadium on Saturday. With the victory, The Huskies move to 3-4 lifetime against the Cardinals send sets up their second conference matchup of the season against the Nicholls Colonels on Saturday, October 8 at Husky Stadium in Houston.

The Huskies jumped out to a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter when the Lamar offense could not hold onto the ball, allowing HCU to recover two fumbles and return them for touchdowns. The first occurred at 13:30 mark when Cardinal running back Damashja Harris lost the ball at the 18-yard line. An alert Rodney Dansby picked up the ball and rambled the 18 yards to the endzone for the score. Kicker Alberto Arroyo added the extra point to put the Huskies up 7-0.  

After the kickoff, Lamar started the next drive and advanced the ball to their own 45-yard line when wide receiver Jalen Dumment was tackled for a five-yard loss. The tackle by Vernon Harrell allowed Coi Miller to pick up the fumble and rush the 45 yards to the endzone for the second HCU touchdown of the day.  Arroyo again added the kicking conversion to give the Huskies a 14-0 lead with 12:06 left in the first half. 

 
Lamar jumped right back into the game, when kickoff return specialist Damashja Harris received the ball on the goal line and returned it 100 yards for a touchdown. The return established a new program record for the Cardinals. 

The Huskies came back with 10 more points in the second quarter to increase their lead to 24-7 at halftime. The first of the 10 points came when Justin Fomby found wide receiver Kyle Reynolds open in the flat and connected with a 28-yard pass for the score. Arroyo again added the extra point, along with a 34-yard field goal, at the 2:11 mark of the quarter to close out the first-half scoring. 

 
In the third quarter, the Huskies continued their scoring assault when Kari Reynolds caught a 40-yard Fomby pass for another six points, along with an additional Arroyo extra point to cap a three-play, 55-yard drive. The Fomby-to-Raynolds combo again scored a touchdown at the 7:20 mark (a three-yard pass). The conversion attempt by Hutton Haire failed, making the score 37-7 in favor of the Huskies. 

 
Lamar cut the Husky lead to 23 when quarterback Mike Chandler was being pressured and threw up a desperation pass, which was caught by Devyn Gibbs, on a lunge; and fell into the endzone for the score. Chris Esqueda kicked the conversion to complete a six-play, 70-yard drive that lasted 2:53. 

In the fourth quarter, Lamar took advantage of the Huskies not achieving a first down on four consecutive possessions to score an additional 14 points; and cut their deficit to 10 points. The scored at the 10:16 mark to complete a six-play, 36-yard drive in addition to a nine-play, 77-yard drive with 5:56 remaining in the game.

The Cardinals were not going to stop their comeback attempt when Chandler, from a no huddle shotgun position, kept the ball and carried the ball the final 13 yards of a 68-yard drive for the score; cutting the HCU lead to three. After an onside kick,, the Huskies recovered the attempt and played the ball for four plays; and punting to Lamar; giving the Cardinals the ball on their own five-yard line with 25 seconds remaining, After four quick plays, the clock ran out, with HCU securing the three-point win.

Lamar Cardinals football hits the practice field

Photo courtesy of
Lamar University Media Relations
 

BEAUMONT, TEXAS (January 22, 2021) It has been a long time coming, but the Lamar University football team stepped on field Friday for their first official preseason workout. The 2020-21 academic year will go down as a unique one for the LU football program. Due to the ongoing precautions with the COVID-19 virus, the Southland Conference pushed the start of the football season from the fall semester to the spring. That decision flip-flopped the normal progression of football within the league – the Cardinals held their “spring camp” during the fall semester, with preseason camp officially now under way.

 
Friday’s practice is the first of 24 workouts before the Cardinals step on the field for their season opener. The Cardinals will also hold two scrimmages before opening the year.
 
“It’s very clear that we have a long way to go, but that is a part of camp,” said LU head football coach Blane Morgan. “Getting the first day under you belt, and then a couple of days with helmets is important, but you really don’t find out what you team is made of until you start putting on pads, hitting, blocking and tackling. Energy wise, I think our guys can now see a light at the end of the tunnel. Obviously, if you’re out here, you can see that our guys are very excited knowing in 28 days we’ll be playing a game. I would say were all pretty excited, because it’s been over a year since any of us have played.”
 
The Cardinals will enter the new year with one of the youngest teams in the nation. The 2021 roster will consist of 51 true and redshirt freshmen, and just 11 seniors. In addition to all of the freshmen, the Cardinals will also boast of 14 sophomores.
 
In addition to the team’s overall youth, the Cardinals will also be looking to replace their starter at quarterback. Whoever wins the job, it will be the first time that player has taken a snap in a Cardinal uniform. LU enters camp with five signal callers on the roster. Among the five quarterbacks include a senior, junior and three freshmen. It would be easy to assume the upperclassmen have a slight advantage in the competition – Austin Scott (6-1, 199, Sr.) and 6-2, 220-pound junior Jalen Dummett (shown above).
 
Scott brings NCAA Division I experience with him to Beaumont having transferred from Eastern Kentucky. Scott appeared in 17 games earning one start during his time with the Colonels. A prized recruit coming out of high school, Scott was a Parade and MaxPreps All-America selection, who won South Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year honors and was named South Carolina Mr. Football.
 
Dummett is one of the first recruits signed by first year head coach Blane Morgan and his staff. A transfer from Feather River College, Dummett was a standout in the California high school ranks before begning his junior college career. Dummett finished his time at Feather River completing 57 percent of his passes for 2,695 yards and 14 touchdowns.
 
“It has been a battle,” said Morgan. “Every quarterback possesses a unique skill set. Each one has some skills that they do really well, and some where they might be a little more limited. It’s going to come down to where we are on offense and a front standpoint on the offensive line.”
 
The Cardinals will officially kick off the season Saturday, Feb. 20 at home against Northwestern State. Game times for the year have not yet been released.
 

SOUTHLAND WOMEN’S BASKETBALL GAMES POSTPONED

FRISCO, TEXAS (January 9, 2020) The Southland Conference has announced the postponement of two women’s basketball games, in accordance with COVID-19 protocols.

Houston Baptist’s matchup against Lamar (January 9) and the Huskies’ game at Abilene Christian (January 13) will be rescheduled in consultation with the two opponents and the Southland office and announced at a later date.

Lamar Cardinals participate in SLC Virtual Football Media Day

BEAUMONT, TEXAS (July 22, 2020) First-year Lamar University head football coach Blane Morgan and seniors Michael Lawson and Myles Wanza took part in the Southland Conference Football Virtual Media Day event Wednesday afternoon from each of the 11 campuses within the league’s footprint. The event, which typically is held in Houston, was switched to a virtual meeting this year due to the on-going social distancing protocols related to COVID-19. The Cardinals held their interviews in the Dauphin Athletics Complex on the LU campus.

 

Morgan, and his entire staff, have been placed in an unenviable position due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Last March, the Southland Conference, following the lead of the NCAA, shutdown the remainder of all spring competitions and just days later that list went on to include spring practice. When the shutdown took place, the Cardinals were just days away from opening spring camp. The COVID-19 shutdown prevented Morgan and his staff from getting their first in-person look at the Cardinals during the spring.

 

Big Red reported back to campus June 29, but before the players took part in any voluntary workouts they went through COVID-19 testing, a training seminar and had to wait for the results on each player to come back. The team was allowed its first mandatory workout July 13.

 

“It’s the best feeling in the world to be back,” said Lawson. “Football is my life, and the thought of not being able to play football hurts. We’re glad to be back, and I’m ready to get to work.

 

“It was really difficult being away from (my team),” added Wanza. “It is really good to be back working together and training. I’m glad to have my teammates back.”

 

Although a lot of questions during media day surrounded the COVID-19 pandemic, the focus from players, coaches and league administrators alike was on the start of a new season and getting prepared with the belief that there will be a 2020 campaign.

 

“Our membership has been meeting constantly over the last four months, and they have reconfirmed they're planning for the fall even as recently as this week,” said SLC Commissioner Tom Burnett. “We anticipate our football camps opening soon, with our coaches and student-athletes beginning preseason practices as they normally do.”

 

The Cardinals return 47 letter winners from last season, a number which includes 17 starters. Big Red will have several questions marks to answer when fall camp begins. At the top of that list will be the quarterback position as LU will have a first-time starter in 2020. The Cardinals will also be looking to replace four of five starters on the offensive line and return only one starter on the defensive line.

 

“Our quarterback situation is still yet to be determined,” said Morgan. “I could see a scenario where we play multiple quarterbacks. We have a number of guys on campus right now with different skill sets. We have to utilize what those guys can do and that will be exciting to see how they progress.”

 

LU had two players named to the preseason All-Southland squad – defensive back Michael Lawson and kicker Bailey Giffen – both received first-team nods. The Southland also released its 2020 preseason poll Wednesday morning with the LU picked to finish 11^th behind Northwestern State and Houston Baptist. Defending conference co-champion, Central Arkansas, was the overwhelming favorite to repeat as conference champion.

 

“We can use (the preseason polls) as motivation, but at the same time we don’t worry about them,” said Wanza. “Preseason polls don’t determine who wins championships – hard work does. We’re going to work hard and focus on being better every day.”

SPORTS SHORT: Texas Southern downs Lamar 76-73

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (November 30, 2019) The Texas Southern Tigers and the Lamar  Cardinals battled to a 39-39 score at halftime and continued to battle back-and-forth in the second half until the Tigers emerged with a 76-73 win over the Cardinals.

Three Tigers scored in double figures; John Walker III (Thurgood Marshall HS, Missouri City, Texas) tallied 20 points with Tyrik Armstrong (Elkins HS, Sugar Land, TX) adding 17 and Justin Hopkins (J.O. Johnson HS,  Huntsville, Al) chipping in 10, along with seven rebounds.

Breanna Wright leads ACU to upset win over No. 1 Lamar

Photo by
Darla S Tamulitis
La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved

KATY, TEXAS (March 16, 2019) Establishing a Southland Conference tournament record, Abilene Christian's Breanna Wright (left) was 16-of-16 from the free throw line in leading the No. 4 Wildcats to a 88-79 win over the No. 1 Lamar Cardinals; securing a place in Sunday's final tournament final against No. 6 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Her performance at the line established new tournament records for free throw points and free throw percentage. She scored 31 points, tying a career high she set on February 2, 2018 against Sam Houston State. Her 16 free throw points was also a season high. The win pushed ACU to a 22-9 record going into Sunday's tournament final.

The Jarrell, Texas native was not alone in securing the win. Fellow guard Sara Williamson shoot 6-of-8 from the field and was 2-of-2 from the line to add 14 points to the Wildcats' scoring machine. Staring forward Makayla Mabry and Lexie Mabry scored 13 and 15 points, respectively. Collectively, ACU shot an amazing 61.9% from the field; a season high. Junior Dominique Golightly pulled down nine rebounds to lead all players,

The Wildcats trailed by seven (68-61) will just over five minutes to play, with Wright hitting 10 of her free throws, along with a three-pointer, and assist and a steal in the final five minutes. ACU only lead for 7:27 and was down by 11 points at the 3:14 mark of the second quarter.

For the Cardinals, Moe Kinard scored 34 points in the loss; connecting on 11-of-22 from the field, including 6-of-12 from three-point range. Lamar finished the season with a 24-6 record, 

New Orleans knocks off Lamar 76-72 in SLC Tournament

Story and photo by Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2017 All Rights Reserved

KATY, TEXAS (March 14, 2019) The Lamar Cardinals battled back from a nine-point deficit at the 17:20 mark of the second half to cut the New Orleans lead to one with 59 seconds remaining in the game, but it was not enough. The No. 5 seeded Cardinals fell to the No. 4 Privateers 76-74 in the second round of the 2019 Southland Conference Men's Basketball Tournament in Katy, Texas. The crowd at the Merrell Center saw Lamar trailing by one with less than a minute to go when a three-point jumper by Bryson Robison sealed the deal and sent the Cardinals back to Beaumont. Lamar had won their last eight games, and finish the season with a 19-13 record.

On the other hand, New Orleans edged the Cardinals on second chance points (15-11), with most other stats being equal. Robinson lead the Privateers with 17 points, followed by Scott Plaisance with 16 and Jorge Rosa with 13. Plaisance also pulled down seven rebounds to lead his team. Nick Garth, who started at guard for Lamar tallied 28 points, shooting 8-of-16 from the field including 4-of-7 from the arc and 8-of-9 from the line.

Forward Josh Nzeakor accounted for 11 of Lamar's 37 rebounds, including seven of the Cardinals' 13 rebounds on offense. He also scored 12 points, to go along with the 14 points that Davion Buster chipped in off the bench. 

New Orleans will meet up with the No. 1 seeded Sam Houston State Bearkats on Friday, March 15 with a 5 p.m. CDT start. The game will be available for viewing on ESPN+.

HBU drops heartbreaker to Lamar, 81-79, in first round of Southland Tournament

Story and photo by Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2019  All Rights Reserved

KATY, TEXAS (March 13, 2019) In a game that saw both teams shooting over 40%, the No. 8 HBU Huskies came up short, falling to the No. 5 Lamar Cardinals 81-79 in the first round of the Southland Conference Men's Basketball Tournament at the Merrell Center in Katy. The Huskies got off to a fast start in the first half and trailed 33-32 at the half. Lamar went on a 11-4 run to start the second half, which forced HBU head coach Ron Cottrell to call a time out in an attempt to get back control of the game. The Huskies battled tooth-and-nail with the Cardinals, but the game came down to rebounding and free throw shooting.  Lamar pulled down 43 rebounds, with the Huskies managing only 28. Lamar shot 17-of-22 (77.3%) from the line, while HBU was 19-of-22 (62.9%).

The Cardinals were led by junior forward Josh Nzeakor, who tallied 25 points and pulled down 13 rebounds. The Mesquite native tied his season high in rebounds and his 25 points was the second best performance of the season. In addition, teammates Jordan Hunter scored 18, followed by Nick Garth and Edwin Jeudy with 10. Jalon Gates came off the bench to lead the Huskies with 19 points, followed by Edward Hardt with 16,  while Braxton Bonds and Oliver Lynch-Daniels added 10 each.

HBU finishes the season with a 12-18 record and will return 10 players for 2019-20. They will be losing guard Stephen O'Suji, center Edward Hardt, and guard Braxton Bonds to graduation.

Next up for Lamar will be a 5 p.m. CDT match up against No. 4 New Orleans tomorrow (Thursday, March 14). The Cardinals will take a 20-12 record into the game, with the Privateers posting a 17-12 season and a 12-6 conference record.

Cards Announce Baseball & Softball Fan Day

BEAUMONT, TEXAS (January 16, 2019) Lamar University is proud to announce a new experience for Cardinal fans, the Baseball & Softball Fan Day, taking place at Vincent-Beck Stadium on February 2nd from 11 am to 2:30 p.m. Attendees to the free event will see a full scrimmage from the baseball program, get a chance to walk around on the brand-new, state-of-the-art turf field being installed at "The Beck", pick up posters for the 2019 season, and get autographs from both the baseball and softball teams. In addition, a kids' clinic will be provided after the scrimmage with stations operated by baseball and softball student-athletes. Concessions and apparel sales will be open during the scrimmage, and season and individual game ticket sales will also be available at the front gate. "At Lamar University we're committed to providing new and exciting experiences for our fans, and we think this event is a good example of that commitment," said Director of Athletics Marco Born. "I'm very excited about this opportunity fans will have to see the new field and get to know some of our student-athletes and coaches better. We hope this is a great step towards building a larger Cardinal community in the Golden Triangle." In addition to the new turf field being installed at the stadium, Cardinal fans have a lot to be excited about for the 2019 season. Both the incoming freshman and junior college recruiting classes for baseball received national rankings, and the softball program is beginning a new era in 2019 with the hiring of Amy Hooks as head coach in the offseason. Both teams also return a bevy of All-Southland Conference talent. "We are excited to be part of the first ever fan fest and to have the community coming out to support us. It's a great way for our student athletes to give back and interact with our fans," said head softball coach Amy Hooks. "This is a great way for our fans and the community to get a sneak peek at our brand-new field and for young players to get a chance to play on it and interact with our student-athletes as part of the kids' clinic. It's just a great event," said baseball head coach Will Davis. 11:00 am to 1:00 pm - The baseball crimmage will be run as if it's a normal baseball game with score keeping, walk-up songs, and videos and images on the video board. 1:00 pm to 1:30 pm - Fans will be allowed on the field to see the new turf up close and personal, take pictures, and run the bases. 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm - Baseball and Softball teams will conduct a kids' clinic on the field. An autograph session will follow the kids' clinic with Baseball and Softball teams and coaching staffs. All kids ages 12 and under will receive two vouchers at the end of the event, which will serve as free tickets with the purchase of an adult general admission ticket. One voucher will be for baseball's opening weekend, and the other will work for any regular season softball game.