Lamar sports information

HAMMOND, La. — Lamar got 16 points from senior Josh Nzeakor and junior Jordan Hunter but Southeastern Louisiana utilized a late surge to gain some breathing room and held on for a 76-69 victory Wednesday evening at the University Center.

“Southeastern Louisiana did a great job on the glass tonight,” said LU head coach Tic Price. “You have to give them credit because we seldomly get outrebounded. We have to do a better job on the boards moving forward and we have to take advantage of our opponent’s mistakes. We didn’t do a good job of converting off their turnovers tonight.

“I think the off week is coming at the right time for us. It will give us some time to get some guys healed up as we move forward,” added Price.

The Cardinals shot 43 percent from the field but struggled from long range hitting just 4-of-16 (.250) threes. Big Red was beat on the glass Wednesday evening being outrebounded, 36-27. LU did a solid job of forcing their hosts into 16 turnovers but finished the night with just 14 points off those turnovers.

Nzeakor and Hunter were two of four Cardinals who finished the night in double figures. Senior Nick Garth scored 11 points and junior T.J. Atwood added 10.

The Lions shot nearly 60 percent in the second half and finished the game 26-of-50 (.520) for the game. Their 26 makes included six three pointers. The Lions were led by 22 points from senior Marlain Veal.

It was a close game throughout the first half of action that saw neither team gain an advantage larger than five points (LU with 3:58 remaining). Throughout the half, just as soon as one team gained a small advantage the other would respond. The Lions were knocking down 50 percent of their shots (9 of 18) through the first 16 minutes but struggled hanging onto the ball (10 turnovers in the first half, including five from Veal).

After SLU’s hot start, the Cardinals forced Southeastern into five consecutive misses and the Red and White turned the misses into a four-point lead, 24-20, with 3:48 remaining. Southeastern responded to the run by scoring the game’s next five points to reclaim a one-point advantage before Hunter stopped the short run with a three-pointer. The Lions scored the final basket of the half with four seconds on the clock to take a one-point lead, 33-32, into the locker room.

The Cardinals finished the opening half shooting 11-of-29 (.379) from the field, including 8-of-12 (.667) from the free throw line. Unfortunately, the Cardinals were beaten on the glass, 25-12, in the first 20 minutes. SLU finished the opening half converting 13-of-28 (.464) attempts, including a 4-of-12 (.333) effort on threes.

The Lions built a six-point lead early in the second half, but the Cards regained the lead following an Atwood three-ball that was set up by a steal from Atwood on the other end of the floor. Following the Atwood triple the Lions rattled off a 10-0 to build their largest lead of the game, 56-47, with 7:33 remaining.

Nzeakor put an end to the run with a free throw at the 7:33 mark. The Lions pushed the lead to double digits where it remained until Hunter buried a corner three to trim the lead to nine, 70-61, with 2:09 remaining. The Cardinals were able to cut the deficit down to six late in the game but could get no closer as Southeastern hit their free throws down the stretch.

The Cardinals return to action Wednesday, Jan. 23, when they host Incarnate Word. The game against the Southland’s other Cardinals will top off at 7 p.m. from the Montagne Center.