Still unbeaten in Montagne: Cardinals pick it up, victorious in landmark game
Published 8:04 pm Saturday, January 28, 2017
Lamar sports information
BEAUMONT – The Lamar Cardinals used a dominating fourth-quarter effort to tally for a 73-60 victory over the visiting Northwestern State Lady Demons in a Southland Conference women’s basketball game Saturday afternoon.
LU (14-5 overall, 7-2 Southland) outscored the Lady Demons 24-8 in the final quarter in the 400th LU women’s basketball game played at the Montagne Center. LU improved to 251-149 all-time in the arena, including a perfect 11-0 mark at home this season.
The Cardinals trailed 38-34 at halftime and by seven points, 46-39, early in the third quarter before mounting their comeback.
“We just needed to wake up,” said LU guard Moe Kinard, who finished with a game-high 20 points. Kinard had 13 points in the second half as LU rallied to win for the first time this season when trailing after three quarters.
Four of LU’s five starters scored in double figures. In addition to Kinard’s 20 points, Kiara Desamours added a season-high 18 points, Kiandra Bowers had 16 points and 15 rebounds for her 10th double-double of the season, while Chastadie Barrs added 11 points in the win.
Barrs added seven assists, seven rebounds and three steals. She now has at least one steal in all 50 games in her career.
Northwestern State (9-11, 3-6) was deadly from behind the arc in the first half, connecting on 60 percent of its shots (}6-of-10) over the first two quarters. The Lady Demons cooled off in the second half, going just 2 of 7 (28.6 percent).
Trailing 52-49 heading into the final quarter, the Cardinals scored 23 off the first 26 points in the quarter to put the game away. Desamours had eight points and Bowers had six points in the final period for LU.
Shahd Abbod and Beatrice Attura had 17 points apiece for Northwestern State, while Cheyenne Brown had 15 points and 11 rebounds.
The Cardinals dominated inside, holding a 42-24 advantage in points in the paint.
UP NEXT
The Cardinals are at New Orleans at 7 p.m. Thursday before returning home to host McNeese State at 2 p.m. Feb. 4 in a doubleheader with the LU men’s team.
MOVING UP THE CHART
Barrs’ 84 steals this season are the seventh-highest single-season total in program history. Her 123 steals last season rank second on the LU single-season chart. Barrs has a career-best 123 assists this season.
STANDINGS
The Cardinals remain tied for third with Central Arkansas, a half-game behind conference co-leaders Stephen F. Austin and Abilene Christian.
3-POINT CHALLENGE
The Cardinals drained six three-pointers on Saturday, giving them 12 since the Coaches vs. Cancer Challenge got under way. Fans are encouraged to make a pledge based on every three-pointer the team makes through the end of the season, with proceeds going to the American Cancer Society. To make a pledge, log on to https://pledgeit.org/cvc-lamar-women. To follow the national 3-Point Challenge competition, visit www.3PointChallenge.org.
