SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE TOURNAMENTS

Lamar sports information

BEAUMONT — Senior Josh Nzeakor scored 20 points and pulled down 12 rebounds, while classmate Nick Garth added 12 as Lamar handed rival McNeese State an 83-58 beating on Senior Day in the Montagne Center.

The victory pushed LU’s win streak to eight straight and locked up the program’s third consecutive 19-win season – its best run of success since the 1982-83 through 1984-85 seasons.

“I hate to see our two seniors leave,” said LU head coach Tic Price. “These guys have been like sons to me and have meant so much to this program. They elected to come here when this program was struggling and they helped us battle through some rough times. We still have some more basketball to play but today was their final time to suit up at home.”

Big Red shot 43 percent in the opening half but knocked down seven more field goals than the Cowboys in building a double-digit lead. The Cardinals didn’t back off the accelerator in the second shooting nearly 52 percent from the field to finish the game 32-of-68 (.471). The Cardinals also converted 40 percent of their attempts from long range (10-of-25) and took advantage of their free throw attempts converting 9-of-11 (.818).

The Cards also put up another stellar performance on the boards outrebounding McNeese by 11, 43-32. Big Red also pulled down 15 offensive boards, which led to a 21-4 advantage in second chance points. The Cardinals once again got a huge lift from their bench as the reserves scored 32 points.

In addition to the seniors, freshman Davion Buster came off the bench to score 17 while junior Jordan Hunter added 10. Classmate Christian Barrett added seven points and pulled down 10 rebounds.

“I couldn’t be more proud of our effort,” said Price. “We took advantage of some of their mistakes and did a great job of getting some offensive rebounds and following those up with baskets. I thought we were dominant on the glass. Prior to the game, we asked each guy to dominate their position and I think we did that.”

McNeese ended their 2018-19 season with a 22-of-56 performance (.393) and struggled from three-point range, 4-of-22 (.182). The Cowboys hit just one of their first 11 from beyond the arc. McNeese was led by 22 points from Shamarkus Kennedy, but he was one of just two Cowboys to finish in double figures.

After scoring the game’s first five points, LU watched their guests respond to tie the game up just over a minute later. After tying the game on a Jarren Greenwood triple, the Cardinals responded moments later with a Barrett basket in traffic. Officially, it was LU’s second lead of the game, and it was a lead they would not relinquish as the Red and White went on a 20-6 run to push their lead to 14 (25-11) with just under 9:30 remaining. The Cardinals remained on the attack through the rest of the half and took a 20-point lead into the locker room following a Barrett put back from a Hunter miss.

It was more of the same in the second half as the Cardinals watch their lead grow to as many as 32 before McNeese was able to trim it back to 25 before the final buzzer. The Cowboys (9-22, 5-13 Southland) could get no closer than 17 points in the final 20 minute.

The Cardinals season will continue in the Southland Conference Championships next week at the Merrell Center in Katy. Big Red needed help from Southeastern Louisiana to get to the 4 seed but the Lions lost their regular season finale at Nicholls State. The Cards will now face eighth-seeded Houston Baptist in the opening round of the tournament Wednesday. The game against the Huskies will tip off at 5 p.m. from the Merrell Center.

Tickets still remain for the Southland Championship tournament and can be purchased through the LU Ticket Office. The number for the LU Ticket Office is 880-1715.