Jan. 8, 2005
Final Stats
BEAUMONT - Lamar's Raymond Anthony scored 18 points on six three-pointers to go along with six assists and four steals to lead the Cardinals to a 78-73 win over Texas State Saturday in the Montagne Center.
With the win, Lamar improved to 9-4 and evened its record in Southland Conference play to 1-1. Texas State (6-7, 0-2) will be looking for its first SLC win when it plays host to Nicholls State Wednesday in the Bobcats' first home conference game.
After trailing by eight early in the second half, the Bobcats used back-to-back three-pointers by Josh Naylor and Zach Allison to pull to within two points. The `Cats would take its only lead of the period when Andre Oupoh made a cut to the basket and scored on a layin that gave Texas State a 58-57 lead with 9:02 to play.
Lamar would get the lead back on its next offensive possession as Nashid Beard converted on a three-point play. A stickback by Allison would tie the game at 60-60 and the Bobcats looked to regain the lead after an Oupoh steal. But on an inbounds play, Chris Langhorne was called for a shove to pick up his fifth personal foul with 7:53 to play and Teddy Davis drilled a three-pointer at the other end to give Lamar a 63-60 lead.
The Cardinals would later stretch the lead to 67-62 on a pair of free throws by Beard. After exchanging baskets, a three-pointer by Naylor cut Lamar's lead to 69-66 but that would be as close as the `Cats would get. Beard made seven straight free throws in the period including a stretch of four on back-to-back possessions to give the Cards a 73-67 lead. After a 1-for-2 performance at the line by Anthony Dill at the other end, Teddy Davis knocked down a pair from the line and the Lamar lead was seven.
Davis finished with 15 points while Beard had 12 for Lamar. In just his third game since being cleared to play after suffering a preseason foot injury, Rory Green led Texas State with 18 points and had four assists. Dill scored 14 points and had a career-high 14 rebounds.
While Texas State lost its second straight to open Southland Conference play, Bobcat coach Dennis Nutt was pleased with the effort after the `Cats struggled Thursday against McNeese State.
"It was night and day tonight compared to earlier in the week," Nutt said. "We showed we can fight and I was pleased with that."
Texas State shot 34.8 percent from the field but held the Cardinals to just 39.1 percent shooting. The Bobcats also outrebounded the Cards 51-39 marking the third straight game they have outrebounded their opponent.
An announced crowd of 3,755 got into the game when Anthony used a double screen off an inbounds pass to knock down a three-pointer and put Lamar out in front 14-10. The Cardinals would then answer Texas State's next two baskets with three-pointers.
Andre Oupoh made a three-pointer from the corner for the `Cats only to have Jeremy Long drill a three at the other end. And after a Green layin, Anthony again hit from outside. Anthony would go on to add another triple at the 10:15 mark and Beard ended an 8-0 Cardinal run with a dunk off an Anthony pass to put Lamar out in front 25-15 with 9:06 to play in the first half.
Prior to the break, Texas State cut the Cards' lead down to as few as four points, 35-31 as Dill beat the shot clock with the first three-pointer of his career. He later made two free throws as the Bobcats used a 7-0 run to get the Lamar lead back under double digits. Oupoh ended the run with a basket.
Dill, who leads the Bobcats in both scoring and rebounding, entered the game not having attempted a three-pointer in 283 field goal attempts.
Lamar's lead was 38-33 at the break as Josh Goodwin put the Cardinals up by five with a jumper from inside the paint on an inbounds play. Texas State would get a couple looks at the goal to narrow the gap but couldn't knock down a last second basket to cut into the Cards' lead any further.
