LU tries to make up for first Southland loss
Published 11:59 pm Monday, January 8, 2018
Lamar sports information
BEAUMONT – The Lamar Cardinals look to bounce back from their first Southland Conference loss of the season as they travel to Hammond, Louisiana, to take on the Southeastern Louisiana Lady Lions at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the University Center.
The Cardinals (8-6, 3-1 Southland) lead the conference in offense, averaging 79.2 points per game. That will be a challenge for the Lady Lions, who are last in the conference in defense, allowing an average of 77.1 points per game.
Moe Kinard leads LU in scoring, averaging 15.8 points per game. Chastadie Barrs averages 13.1 points per game for LU, while leading the conference with 89 assists and 87 steals. Barrs averages 6.21 steals per game to lead the nation. The junior guard has at least one steal in all 75 games of her career, and her 352 career steals are just seven shy of the all-time conference record of 359 held by Nina Randle of Louisiana-Monroe.
Southeastern Louisiana (1-13, 0-3) has lost eight straight games heading into Wednesday’s contest. The Lady Lions have not won since Nov. 26, when they claimed a 60-58 victory at Bethune-Cookman. Wednesday’s matchup is the first home conference game this season for Southeastern Louisiana, which is 0-3 at the University Center.
The Lady Lions are led offensively by Taylin Underwood, who averages 19.3 points per game. Jyar Francis, who sat out the fall semester after transferring from Wichita State, is averaging 11.1 points per game in the seven contests she has played.
Southeastern Louisiana has a 21-20 edge in the all-time series with Lamar University. Under coach Robin Harmony, the Cardinals are 3-2 against the Lady Lions, including an 86-68 triumph at the Montagne Center last season behind a career-high 31 points from Kinard. LU is looking for its first victory at Southeastern Louisiana since a 72-61 triumph on March 9, 2013.
Wednesday’s game will be the fourth road contest in the first five conference games for the Cardinals, who will play six of their next seven games at home. The Cardinals return to action with home games against Incarnate Word at 7 p.m. Jan. 17 and Sam Houston State at 2 p.m. Jan. 20.
