Video Highlights

HOUSTON – HBU women's basketball drops conference home opener to Lamar in Southland Conference women's basketball Thursday night at Sharp Gym.

Junior center Veronika Kirienko posted a double-double and junior guard Amanda Johnson scored in double-digits to lead HBU (4-7, 0-1). Kirienko put up 12 points and brought down 12 rebounds. Johnson also scored 12 points and had nine boards. Sophomore forward Lauren Calver and freshman guard Megan Valdez-Crader each contributed eight points, while sophomore guard Sydney Carr added seven points.

The Lady Cardinals (6-5, 1-0) were led by Baileigh Laidler with 24 points and Chastadie Barrs with 17 points and 10 steals. Kiandra Bowers racked up 13 points and led Lamar in rebounds with 11 boards.
As a team, Lamar shot 43.0 percent from the floor, went 6-of-24 from the 3-point line and 5-of-10 from the free-throw line. HBU shot 40.5 percent from the floor, 3-of-9 from the behind the arc and 14-of-23 from behind the line. HBU outrebounded Lamar 42-35, 33 of when were defensive boards.

The Huskies led early in the first quarter, but a 5-0 run gave the Lady Cardinals the lead. Valdez-Crader made the score even 13-13, after draining a shot from behind the arc. Lamar answered back with a bucket, before Johnson put away a shot from the 3-point range to give the Huskies the advantage to end the first, 16-15. The Lady Cardinals sparked a 23-8 run in the second quarter that put them ahead by 14 points at the half.

The Cardinals led 60-30 late in the third quarter. A layup by Johnson started a seven point run by the Huskies, including shots by Carr and a 3-pointer by Johnson to finish the period. Kirienko led the scoring for HBU in the fourth quarter. She put up six points, half of her total, in 10 minutes and grabbed seven rebounds.

The Huskies will continue Southland Conference play on the road against New Orleans Saturday, Dec. 30, before returning home to face Nicholls Saturday, Jan. 6 at Sharp Gym. Both games are set for 2 p.m.