LAKE CHARLES – McNeese outscored Lamar 45-37 in the second half. Unfortunately for the Cowboys, the Cardinals built a 50-31 halftime lead then held off a late McNeese rally to take an 87-76 win and snapping a 14-game losing streak to the Cowboys in Lake Charles.
 
Lamar (11-15, 3-11 SLC) burned up the nets in the first half, making 62 percent (21-34) from the field and 61.5 percent from three-point range (8-13). The Cardinals used a 16-0 run to break a 24-24 tie with 9:08 to play in the half to open up a 40-24 lead.
 
The Cardinals' success came when switching to a zone defense that not only kept the McNeese shooters off balance the rest of the half, but also created eight first half turnovers that led to 12 Lamar points.
 
"Our defensive intensity wasn't there in the first half," said Dave Simmons whose Cowboys fell to 6-18 overall and 4-10 in league play. "I think that was the difference of the game.
 
"We regrouped in the second half and didn't quit. But Lamar came in here ready to play. They've lost a lot of close games lately to they wanted this one. This one doesn't feel good."
 
The last time Lamar beat McNeese on its home court was on Dec. 20, 1997 when the Cardinals were a member of the Sun Belt Conference. The last time the Cardinals beat McNeese at home as a Southland member was in the 1986-87 season.
 
Jamaya Burr led McNeese with 20 points and seven assists. James Harvey added 14 points behind four three-point baskets and Austin Lewis added his second double-double of the year behind 10 points and a career-high 12 rebounds. Stephen Ugochukwu added a career-best 11 boards to go along with nine points.
 
Marcus Owens led Lamar with 21 points while Dorian Chatman and Kevin Boozed each scored 13 points.
 
McNeese scored the first five points of the game and led until Booze his a 3-pointer with 10:04 to play in the half to put Lamar up 22-21. Harvey came back with a three for the Cowboys to tie the game at 24-24 then the Cardinals rolled off 16 straight to open up the lead. During that stretch, Lamar sank four straight 3-pointers, two of those by Owens.
 
The Cowboys came back with more intensity in the second half and gradually chipped away at the lead.
 
A couple of Burr free throws cut the margin to 13 points at 56-43 with 15:46 to play, then pulled the Cowboys to within nine at 69-60 with 7:32 to play following a layup. Lance Potier followed with back-to-back buckets to get the Cowboys to within five at 69-64 with 6:16 to play but Nick Garth fired back with a three and Preston Mattingly added a layup to give the Cardinals a 10-point lead with 4:21 to play.
 
McNeese got the lead down to eight after a couple of Ugochukwu free throws then a jumper by Lewis made it an 8-point game for the final time at 77-69 with 3:09 to play.
 
Lamar then went back up by double-digits and held on to win by 11.
 
The Cowboys connected on 25 of 56 for 44.6 percent for the game but knocked down just 6 of 19 for 32 percent from long range. McNeese was much better at the free throw line, hitting 20 of 25 for 80 percent.
 
Lamar made 51.5 percent (34-66) from the field and 10 of 19 for 52.6 percent from 3-point range.
 
The Cowboys held a 39-30 advantage in rebounds but turned the ball over 14 times that led to 20 Lamar points.
 
McNeese will be back in action on Monday night when it hosts Central Arkansas at 7 in Burton Coliseum.