HOUSTON – Despite double-doubles by junior forwards
Anna Strickland and
Monet Neal, Lamar erased a three-point halftime lead and outscored HBU, 48-29, in the second half, as HBU fell to the Lady Cardinals, 80-64, Saturday.
Neal tied the game high of 21 points, as she also pulled down 13 rebounds, had two steals and recorded a career-high three blocks for HBU (8-10 overall, 2-5 SLC). Strickland earned her second-straight double-double – and the third of the season – with 12 points and a game-high 14 rebounds. She also posted two assists, two steals, and a game-high five blocks.
Rachel Arthur and
Tayler Jefferson each scored 10 points. HBU leads the Southland Conference in blocks and out-blocked Lamar, 11-3.
JaMeisha Edwards led Lamar (9-10 overall, 6-2 SLC) with 21 points, while Dominique Edwards had a double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds. Kiandra Bowers chipped in with 15 points and nearly had a double-double with nine boards.
Lamar started the contest scoring six of the first eight points before the Huskies scored four straight to tie the contest at six-all with 15:36 to go in the first half.
The teams battled through three more ties – the last one being 13-all with just under 14 minutes remaining – before HBU used a 10-5 run to lead the Lady Cardinals by five, 23-18, with 9:32 to go in the opening half. The run was culminated by a steal and a fast-break layup by Arthur, which forced Lamar to take a timeout.
A made free throw by Neal pushed HBU's largest lead of the half to eight, 28-20, with 5:15 remaining, but Lamar cut the deficit to three with a 7-2 run. Down by three, 35-32, Lamar had the ball and the shot clock off with the opportunity to tie the game entering halftime, but a block by Neal followed by a steal by Strickland didn't allow the Lady Cardinals to get a shot off before the horn, as HBU led at the break by three.
Neal and Bowers led their respective teams with 13 points apiece in the first half. HBU shot 48 percent compared to 43 percent for Lamar.
Lamar started the second half on a 5-0 run to take a two-point lead. A jumper by
Heidi Sihvola at the 18:57-mark tied the game at 37-all.
A Neal jumper forced the seventh tie of the game, 48-all with 11:14 to go in regulation, but Lamar used an 8-1 run for its largest lead of the game, 56-46, with 9:03 to go. Back-to-back turnovers by the Huskies which resulted in Lady Cardinal points resulted in an HBU timeout.
Lamar took a 10-point lead, but HBU kept fighting. A Strickland free throw, followed by a block by Strickland, a
Meghan Shank steal, and a fast-break layup by Jefferson made the deficit seven, 62-55, with 5:27 remaining. But Lamar ended the final minutes outscoring HBU, 18-9, for the win.
Neal led HBU with eight second-half points, while she and Strickland each had six rebounds. The Huskies shot just 30 percent in the half and 40 percent in the game. Addesha Collins led three Lady Cardinals in double figures, as she scored 15 points. D. Edwards and J. Edwards each scored 11. Lamar shot 46 percent in the second half and 45 percent in the game.
HBU closes its four-game home stand Thursday, Jan. 29 against Abilene Christian at 7 pm.
