Lamar sports information

ABILENE – All good things must come to an end, and Saturday, the Lamar  Cardinals saw their 10-game winning streak come to an end with a 77-59 loss at Abilene Christian in a Southland Conference women’s basketball game.

Chastadie Barrs led LU with 14 points, as the Cardinals lost for the first time in almost eight weeks since falling at Kansas State on Nov. 20.

Kiandra Bowers had 13 points and eight rebounds for LU, while Moe Kinard added 10 points in the loss.

LU led36-35 at halftime behind 12 points apiece from Barrs and Bowers, but the host Wildcats (10-7, 4-1) dominated the third quarter, outscoring LU 23-6 in the period to take a 58-42 advantage into the final quarter. LU was 2-o-11 (18.2 percent) from the floor in the third quarter.

Alexis Mason had 12 of her game-high 32 points in the third quarter for the Wildcats. Mason added 10 points in the fourth quarter to help ACU secure the win. Lizzy Dimba had 13 points for ACU, while Suzzy Dimba finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

The Cardinals (11-4 overall, 4-1 Southland), who were coming off their best shooting performance this century after connecting on 60 percent of their shots in Thursday’s win over UIW, shot just 33.3 percent (22-of-66) on Saturday. The numbers weren’t much better from three-point range, as LU was 1-of-12 (8.3 percent), or the free-throw line, where the Cardinals were 14-of-31 (45.2 percent).

The Wildcats, meanwhile, shot 46.6 percent (27-of-58 from the floor, including a 35.5 percent effort from 3-point range, as ACU was 11-of-31 from beyond the arc.

The Cardinals continue their three-game road swing at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Sam Houston State. That game will be streamed live on ESPN3.

STILL RED HOT

Bowers was 6 for 7 from the field Saturday. Over the past three games, the LU senior is 23 for 27 (85.2 percent). Bowers increased Southland Conference-leading field-goal percentage for the season to 60.1 percent (86-of-143).

THOU SHALT STEAL

With her four assists Saturday, Barrs has at least one steal in all 46 games of her career. The LU sophomore has 191 steals, good for fourth on LU’s all-time list. Jenna Plumley is third with 202.

LENDING A HELPING HAND

Barrs, the SLC leader in assists, had seven more on Saturday, to increase her season total to 98. Barrs tied Neno Anguiano for ninth on LU’s career chart with 219. Jodie Brand is eighth with 232.

TURNING IT OVER

The Cardinals, who lead the nation in turnovers forced, strengthened that number Saturday, as ACU committed 28 turnovers. LU, which led the nation in steals, had 14 steals on Saturday. The Cardinals entered the game ranked second in the nation in turnover margin, boosting those numbers by having 11 fewer turnovers Saturday.