Lamar sports information
NACOGDOCHES — For the first time since Jan. 6, 2018, the Lamar women’s basketball team dropped a Southland Conference regular season contest. On Saturday, the Cards were defeated, 70-58, by Stephen F. Austin. The loss snapped a 24-game Southland regular season winning streak.

With the win, SFA improves to 19-3 on the season and 10-0 in Southland action, while the Cards fall to 17-5 and 10-1 in SLC play.

Moe Kinard led the Cards with 23 points on 9-of-17 shooting. Miya Crump followed with 18 points rounding out the double-figure scorers. Chastadie Barrs recorded four steals in the contest and now has at least one steal in 113 straight games.

After shooting 53 percent in the first quarter, Lamar struggled shooting in the second and third quarter as they shot under 25 percent from the floor. For the game, Lamar shot 33.3 percent from the floor.

The Cards and Ladyjacks came out trading buckets and after an old-fashioned three-point play by Kinard, LU held an early 5-2 lead over SFA. Following the play, the Cards did not score for a 2-minute stretch and LU found themselves down, 13-7. Lamar came back and a pair of free throws by Briana Laidler, put LU ahead 16-13. LU scored three more points in the quarter and led 19-17 after one quarter of play.

After a three by Kinard early in the second quarter, Lamar held a three-point lead, 21-18. Following the three-point lead, LU found themselves down one, 24-23, after an Aaliyah Johnson three. The Ladyjacks lead was extended to seven, 30-23, after a pair of free throws by Riley Harvey. Lamar slowly started chipping away at the lead and after a jumper by Crump, LU trailed 34-29. Neither team scored for the last minute of the half and LU trailed 34-29 at halftime.

Coming out of halftime, Laidler hit a layup to get the Cards on the board and Crump followed with a three tying the game at 34-34. Following Crump’s three, LU’s offense cooled off and they went 6 minutes without scoring and SFA stretched its lead to 13, 47-34. Crump broke the scoreless drought for the Cards as she hit a three with 1:18 left in the third quarter. Lamar would not score again and trailed 49-37 after three quarters of play.

Needing a big fourth quarter, the Cards slowly chipped away at the Ladyjacks lead and a layup by Laidler put the Cards down eight, 51-43. Lamar continued chipping away and a pair of free throws by Crump put the Cards down six, 53-47. A minute later, the Cards had the lead down to four, 54-50, after an old fashion three-point play by Jadyn Pimentel. Four points would be as close as the Cards would get as SFA stretched the lead back to double-digits. Lamar suffered its first loss in Southland play this year as SFA defeated LU, 70-58.

The Cards return to action on Wednesday when they travel to Natchitoches, Louisiana, when they face Northwestern State. Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. from the Prather Coliseum.