Lamar sports information

CHICAGO – The Lamar women’s basketball team saw its road woes continue in an 82-71
loss to host Loyola Chicago in a non-conference game Saturday afternoon.

The Cardinals (1-4) fell to 0-4 away from the Montagne Center despite 26 points from senior guard JaMeisha Edwards, the most by an LU player this season.  Edwards matched a career high with six three-point field goals, as she was 6 of 10 from behind the arc for the game.

Freshman guard Chastadie Barrs had 14 points, reaching double figures for the fourth time in five games for LU, while freshman guard Khali Pippins-Tryon came off the bench to score a career-high 12 points for the Cardinals.

“We need more than three players to produce if we’re going to win,” LU coach Robin Harmony said. “We got one point from our post players. You’re not going to win like that.”

Loyola (2-3) dominated the inside, outscoring the Cardinals 38-10 in points in the paint. “The Ramblers held a 39-32 rebounding edge and blocked nine LU shots on the afternoon.

Edwards did her part to keep the Cardinals in the game in the first half, scoring 14 points over the first two quarters, including 11 points in the opening period. The Cardinals held a 20-19 lead after one quarter, and trailed 37-34 at intermission.

LU tied the game at 41 when Baileigh O’Dell hit a pair of free throws with 6:56 remaining in the third quarter before Loyola went on a 9-1 run to take the lead for good. The Cardinals would get no closer than five points the rest of the way.

Nieka Wheeler led Loyola with 20 points, while Taylor Manuel had a double-double, finishing with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Loyola shot 53.6 percent (30 of 56) from the field, including 30 percent (3 of 10) from 3-point range. The Ramblers were 19-of-25 (76.0 percent) from the line.

The Cardinals were red hot from long range, hitting 52.9 percent (9-of-17) from beyond the arc, but LU was just 30.6 percent (15-of-49) from the field overall.

“We missed too many shots and didn’t get the big stops when we needed to,” Harmony said. “We have the potential to be a good team, and I’m seeing some good things, but we have to play smarter and we have to do the simple things. We have to play fundamental basketball.”

The Cardinals return home to host Schreiner University at 7 p.m. Monday before heading to Prairie View A&M at 5 p.m. Dec. 5.

“It will be good to be at home again,” Harmony said of Monday’s game. We have to win that game and we need to find a way to win at Prairie View.”