Second Half Surge Carries Lamar Past Louisiana

Box Score

The Ragin' Cajuns men's basketball team's attempt at back-to-back wins was spoiled as the Lamar Cardinals broke open a seven-point game in the second half with a 12-0 run and went on to post a 80-63 victory Saturday evening at the Montagne Center.

The Cardinals (5-3) benefited from four players scoring in double figures led by a game-high 25 points off the bench from Mike James. In the second half, the hosts shot above 50 percent and outscored the Ragin' Cajuns (4-6) by 13 points.

Louisiana, which missed an opportunity to move to the .500 mark heading into the final exams break, was held to 33 percent shooting in the decisive second stanza (10-for-30).

Outscoring the opponents bench has been the Cajuns strong suit this season, but led by James the Cardinals turned the tables on UL by holding a 39-13 advantage in bench points.

Raymone Andrews led UL with 16 points. Josh Brown joined him in double figures, adding 13 points.

Lamar shot 58 percent in the second half (14-of-24) to finish the contest at 46.6 percent (27-of-58). The Cajuns remain winless (0-6) when the opposition shoots above 40 percent.

Louisiana has no games scheduled next week as the University administers final exams. The next outing for the Cajuns is scheduled for Monday, Dec. 12 vs. Dillard at the Cajundome with a 7:05 p.m., tipoff.

The first points of the second half provided Lamar with a seven-point advantage at 41-34. Devon Lamb completed a three-point play at 18:28 to give the hosts their largest lead at that point.

An Andrews 3-point make on the left wing at 16:12 pulled UL within two points, 41-39. The Cardinals answered with an Osas Ebomwonyi dunk at 15:51 and free throws from Anthony Miles on the next possession to stretch the lead out to six points with 15:28 left to play.

Andrews' second triple of the second stanza cut the Cajuns deficit to 49-44 at 13:29. That would be the squad's last field goal make through the 7:37 mark and the Cardinals began to pull away.

A James layup at 11:54 was the start of the 12-0 run by Lamar that broke open a 52-45 contest and left no doubt in the outcome. It was James with another layup at 11:33, off a Cajuns turnover, that moved the lead into double figures for good at 56-45.

With the win the Cardinals evened the all-time series with the Cajuns at 41-all and prevented the Cajuns from posting back-to-back wins at the Montagne Center for the first time. The game also marked the end of the current four-year, home-and-home agreement between the two programs.

UL was coming off a 78-56 victory over McNeese State on Thursday and was seeking back-to-back wins for the first time this season.

After two minutes of scoreless play at the onset, the teams traded field goals on five straight possessions starting with an Elfrid Payton layup at 17:44. A Brown triple capped off the string of scoring possessions and gave UL a 7-4 lead.

The Cardinals grabbed their first lead of the game after three-point baskets on consecutive possessions from James and Brandon Davis gave the hosts a 12-10 lead by the 13:23 mark.

Bryant Mbamalu pulled the Cajuns into a 12-all tie with 13:00 on the clock by hitting a pair of free throws. UL forced consecutive LU turnovers and on the second turnover Mbamalu converted a three-point play at 12:21 for a 15-12 advantage.

Louisiana would stretch the lead to six points, 21-15, reaching the margin when Brown knocked down a baseline jumper in the right wing at 8:21.

The Cardinals used an 8-2 run capped off by Davis freebies at 4:39 to draw a 23-all tie. Darshawn McClellan returned the lead to the Cajuns with a triple on the right elbow eight seconds later.

Three empty possessions by the Cajuns inside of two minutes– two turnovers and a missed field goal – led to a seven unanswered points by Lamar that vaulted the hosts into the lead heading into the break.

Lamar followed Alan-Michael Thompson turnover with a pair of free throws by Davis with 1:37 left in the half to pull ahead 31-30. The Cardinals extended the lead to 36-30 after James converted a putback off a missed free throw by Lamb.

-- Ragin' Cajuns --

Second Half Surge Carries Lamar Past Louisiana

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