Lamar sports information

BEAUMONT — JaMeisha Edwards scored 20 points to lead the Lamar University Cardinals to a 60-41 win over the visiting Schreiner Mountaineers in a non-conference women’s basketball game at the Montagne Center on Monday night.

The Cardinals (2-4) improved to 2-0 at home this year, snapping a two-game skid. LU did it with defense, holding the Mountaineers to 28.3 percent shooting from the field (15 of 53) and collecting 13 steals as LU forced Schreiner into 21 turnovers.

The Cardinals never trailed in the contest, racing out to a 12-0 lead in the first 4:13 of the game, with Edwards getting eight of those points thanks to a pair of three-pointers and a layup. Edwards, who was coming off a 26-point effort in Saturday’s loss at Loyola Chicago, was one rebound shy of her first double-double, finishing with a career-high nine rebounds.

Kiara Desamours and Addesha Collins had nine points apiece for LU, while Khali Pippins-Tryon and Chastadie Barrs added six points apiece. Barrs also had team highs with four assists and five steals.

The Cardinals led 20-4 after one quarter and 36-16 at intermission, but the LU offense went cold to start the second half, scoring only four points over the first five minutes of the third quarter as Schreiner cut the LU lead to 40-29.

That’s when Desamours and Edwards stepped things up, as back-to-back layups by Desamours followed by back-to-back three-pointers by Edwards, all in the last 1:$6 of the quarter, increased the LU lead to 50-29 heading into the final period.

Kelsie Jackson led Schreiner with 16 points. Dyamond Puebla had nine rebounds for the Mountaineers.

The Cardinals return to action at 5 p.m. Saturday with a non-conference game at Prairie View A&M. After a break for final exams, LU returns to the Montagne Center for a two-game home stand, hosting Canisius College at 7 p.m. Dec. 14 and Texas A&M-Kingsville at 7 p.m. Dec. 17.