Lamar sports information

BEAUMONT – Junior Nick Garth scored a career-high 29 points as Lamar University rallied from an 18-point deficit to defeat Sam Houston State, 84-77, in overtime Saturday evening at the Montagne Center. It marks the second consecutive year the Cardinals have rallied for an overtime win over Sam Houston in the Montagne Center.

The Cardinals didn’t take their first lead of the game until 20 seconds remaining in regulation, and trailed by as many as 15 points in the second half but it wasn’t enough as the Cardinals (12-8, 4-3 Southland) handed the SLC co-leaders their second loss of the season.

Big Red overcame a 5-of-24 (.208) shooting performance in the opening half to convert 25-of-59 (.424) attempts, including a 3-of-6 (.500) effort in overtime. The Cardinals were 9-of-22 (.409) from three-point range and seven of their final 10 on threes, including one from senior Zjori Bosha with 37 seconds remaining in overtime to give LU its final lead of the game.

“This was a total team effort,” said LU head coach Tic Price. “We didn’t play well in the first half, and Sam Houston had a lot to do with that. They got after us early, which is what they have been doing to teams all season. Sam controlled the pace in the first half. In the second half, I really thought we showed some mental and physical toughness. At the end of the day, we made the shots we needed down the stretch.”

In addition to Garth’s 29 points, LU got 17 from senior Colton Weisbrod, and 16 points and 11 rebounds from junior Josh Nzeakor. It was the second consecutive double-double for Nzeakor.

The Cardinals won the war on the glass outrebounding SHSU, 34-29, including 16 offensive rebounds which they turned into a 19-2 advantage in second chance points. The Red and White forced Sam Houston into 20 turnovers – including 12 in the second half – which allowed LU to continue its rally despite the Bearkats shooting better than 70 percent from the field in the second half. SHSU was 27-of-50 (.540) from the field for the game.

Sam Houston was nearly perfect from the free throw line hitting 15-of-16 (.938) attempts, while the Cardinals hit nine of their final 10 from the stripe to finish 25-of-35 (.714) on the night.

The beginning of the game in no way foreshadowed how exciting the ending would be. In fact, the Cardinals first half was eerily similar to their second half performance against Southeastern Louisiana. The Cardinals trailed by as many 18 in the opening half as Sam Houston opened the night a 17-2 run. LU didn’t make its first field goal until five minutes into the game and had only 17 points at the intermission.

“The first half was very frustrating,” said Price. “We’ve got some guys who can manufacture points but don’t take anything away from Sam Houston. They are so tough defensively and really get after you. Their kids understand how important it is to make stops. At halftime, I simply told our kids to regroup. Just play every possession and know we can’t win this game on just one possession. We still have 20 minutes of basketball remaining. The most insignificant stat in basketball is the score at halftime.”

LU brought a different mentality to the court in the second half as they began to chip away at the lead. The Cardinals trimmed the deficit to single digits less than four minutes into the half. LU got the ball back and sent Weisbrod to the stripe looking to convert an and-one but the free throw was off the mark and the visitors got a three-pointer from Abrian Edwards to push the lead back to 10. That was the script for the next two possessions as LU would score only to have the Bearkats follow with a three. Despite scoring on four of their next five possessions, the Cardinals found themselves back down by 13 with 12:51 to play.

Sixty seconds later the Cardinals again pulled within seven following a James Harrison three-pointer, but the Bearkats responded with a three of their own and moments later the Cards again found themselves down 12, 52-40.

The deficit was still 12 when the Cardinals made their final surge, one Sam Houston was unable to respond to. LU outscored the ‘Kats, 21-9, in the final 7:40 to send the game into overtime. The Cardinals pulled within three on two Weisbrod free throws with two minutes remaining. The Cardinals got the ball back following an Edwards miss on a layup. LU followed with an Nzeakor tip-in off his own miss to pull within a point, 65-64, with 1:17 remaining.

The Cardinals forced a turnover on the next possession and took their first lead of the game on a Weisbrod layup with 20 seconds remaining. The lead was short lived as Sam Houston’s Josh Delaney hit a three-pointer to give the Bearkats back a two-point lead with 11 seconds on the clock.

The Bearkats neglected to account for senior Torey Noel in the closing seconds and he stepped up to play the role of hero as time ran off the clock. The Midwest City, Okla., native burned the league leaders by taking the ball the length of the floor to score his only basket of the game. He then reacted on defensive by stealing the inbound pass not giving Sam Houston an opportunity to get off a final shot and force overtime.

Noel was one of two Cardinals to score their only basket of the game late in the contest to preserve one of the most thrilling wins in program history. After the Cardinals found themselves with a three-point lead at the 2:35 mark of overtime, SHSU’s Delaney hit another three-ball to tie the game with just over a minute remaining.

On their next possession, LU got the ball in the hands of Weisbrod who found Bosha alone on a wing. Weisbrod sent the pass cross court and Bosha drilled the shot handing LU back a three-point lead with 37 seconds remaining. Prior to the make, Bosha was 0-5 from the field, but he hit the one that matter as Sam Houston would not regain the lead.

After a layup to pull within one, LU got four consecutive free throws from and two from Nzeakor to close out the scoring.

“We can’t forget that this is only one game,” said Price. “We will let the guys enjoy this win tonight, but come tomorrow the only thing that matters is Nicholls. They’re another tough team and they are playing really well right now.”

The Cardinals return to action Wednesday when they host Nicholls. The game against the Colonels will tip off at 7 p.m. from the Montagne Center. It can be heard live on Newstalk 560 KLVI, and seen live on ESPN3.