BEAUMONT, Texas -- A double-digit first-half deficit, a huge rally to start the second half only to be edged out at the end of the game – a script that has become all too familiar for the Lamar University men's basketball team (2-3) over the course of the previous two games. As if following the same script from the contest at Rice, the Cardinals fell to UC Riverside (3-2), 74-69, Sunday afternoon at the Montagne Center.
 
"We dug ourselves a big hole to start the game," said head coach Tic Price. "We did not come out of the locker room with the fire or energy you need to play this game. UC Riverside was a lot more determined than we were today. In the second half, we did a much better job especially on the defensive end of the floor. We knew (Jaylen) Bland was their go-to guy and was going to look to score, and we didn't do a good job on him all game."
 
After shooting less than 30 percent in the opening half, the Cardinals rallied to shoot nearly 50 percent in the final 20 minutes and finished the game 22-of-60 (.367) from the field. Big Red struggled from beyond the arc all game connecting on just 3-of-19 (.158) attempts, with all three makes coming in the opening 20 minutes.  
 
It was the reverse for UC Riverside who knocked down 16-of-32 (.500) in the opening half, but cooled off to an 11-of-28 (.393) performance in the second. The Highlanders shot the three consistently throughout the game knocking down 9-of-23 (.391), including Bland who had four triples in the game.
 
The Highlanders hit six of their first 12 attempts from the field to build an early 11-2 advantage. UC Riverside pushed that lead to 14 points, 20-6, as the Red and White struggled to a 1-of-10 performance. The visitors enjoyed a 20-point advantage – their largest lead of the game – following two Gentrey Thomas free throws with just under a minute remaining in the first half.
 
The Cardinals got consecutive threes from freshman Nick Garth to trim the deficit to 14, 43-29, heading into the locker room. Garth finished the day with 11 points on 4-of-10 (.400) shooting to continue his streak of five consecutive games scoring at least 10 points to start his career.
 
Again, following the script from Wednesday night's game against the Owls, LU opened the second half on a run (12-2) cutting the Highlanders' lead to four points, 45-41, less than five minutes into the second half. Following a Malik Thames layup to push the lead back to six, the Cardinals got a free throw from junior Dontavious Sears followed by another Garth basket to cut the margin to three points, 47-44. The Cardinals got a stop on the defensive end and went back in the low post to freshman Dorian Chatman who sparked the Cardinals rally to open the half. Chatman converted the and-one situation to pull LU even with Riverside at the 10:15 mark.
 
Big Red took its first lead of the game less than two minutes later when sophomore guard Kevin Booze drove to the glass for a layup in traffic. UC Riverside answered with a Thames layup on the other end of the floor only to have the Cards answer with a Lincoln Davis basket just seconds later.
 
The two-point advantage following the Davis layup would be as close to victory as LU would get as Riverside reclaimed the advantage moments later and never gave it back. The Cardinals tied the game one other time in the final 7:14 but never took back the lead.
 
The Cardinals were led by 16 points from freshman Josh Nzeakor on 5-of-6 (.833) shooting, while Chatman scored all of his 11 points in the second half. Davis scored eight points on 2-of-2 shooting, including a three-pointer, and a 3-of-4 performance at the free throw line. Senior Dontavious Sears came off the bench to score six points and pull down eight rebounds.
 
"You can't just play 20 minutes of basketball," said Price. "You have to play all 40 minutes. We didn't do that today. This is all part of the evolution of this young team and how they have to mature. That was a veteran backcourt we played today, and our young guys are beginning to understand that they have to execute no matter what the score is. The maturation process of this team is still on schedule."
 
Big Red will be back in action Wednesday when they open the month of December at home against UT Rio Grande Valley. The game against the Vaqueros is slated to tip off at 7 p.m. from the Montagne Center. Tickets for LU home games can be purchased by clicking here.
 
-LU CARDINALS-