MONROE, La. – The ULM women's basketball team (5-1) claimed a fifth victory at Fant-Ewing Coliseum over the Lamar Cardinals (2-4) on Saturday afternoon (Nov. 23), 62-47.
Jazmine Jackson led the team in a showstopping game, posting 25 points and five triples. The game opened gritty and defense-heavy, but it was the Warhawks finding their groove in the second half that allowed them to pull away.
Through six lead changes and six ties throughout the contest, the Warhawks outscored the Cardinals in three of the four quarters, holding the lead for 32 minutes. ULM shot 43% from the field to Lamar's 36%, also going 5-of-11 from beyond the arc, all three-pointers courtesy of Jackson. Both teams combined for 46 turnovers, ULM forcing 25 out of their opponent and capitalizing with 17 points off turnovers.
Jackson led the squad with a career-high 25 points, shooting 7-of-11 from the field and 5-of-6 from three. She also hit six of seven free throws to add to her tally, collecting four boards and two steals to add to her stat line.
J'Mani Ingram and
Marcavia Shavers also scored in double digits. Ingram saw 14 points, six rebounds and three assists, while Shavers came a board away from a double-double with nine, alone with an assist and two steals.
Asia Barclay and
Keshunti Nichols tallied a block each in the gritty defensive effort.
Both teams were in for a fight, as the defensive battle prevented a score from either team for the opening two minutes. Ingram was able to get the Warhawks started, with the Cardinals responding just one possession later. Denley continued to drive the Lamar offense, scoring the opening four points.
As the Cardinal defense was able to force a drought in the field for the home team, the Warhawks used turnovers and steals to their advantage, staying down only a possession throughout the three-minute drought. ULM began to find their groove at the three-minute mark in the first quarter,
Asjah Inniss tallying a three-point play to find the lead on a 7-0 scoring run. The Cardinals were held without a field goal for five minutes as the Warhawks pulled ahead, the quarter closing with a 13-9 score in favor of ULM.
The second quarter opened with the Warhawks notching five unanswered points, preventing the Cardinals scoring for two minutes. This included a
Jazmine Jackson triple, the first for the Warhawks of the contest. While Lamar was able to get comfortable hitting a few triples and forcing a drought for ULM, the Warhawks maintained a lead through the quarter. The half concluded with a Cardinal 6-0 scoring run, as Kamryn Wilson hit a triple in the final seconds to tie things up at 26.
With the game tied, it was Wilson for Lamar who came in clutch, hitting a jumper to regain the lead for the Cardinals in the opening seconds of the half. Ingram and Barclay were able to respond to return the lead to the home team, but Wilson hit another shot from beyond the arc to switch the lead again. Three fouls in succession for Lamar allowed for free throws to get ULM back in the game, the pendulum swinging in the Warhawk favor.
The home team went on to force five turnovers and score seven unanswered points to begin to pull away. In reaching the fourth quarter, Jackson hit another triple to extend the lead to 10, the largest lead of the day with six minutes remaining in the contest. She then forced a three-point play, extending the lead further. Shavers saw six points in the fourth to find her double-figure score, Jackson hitting two more triples in the fourth for that 15-point advantage and eventual victory.
The Warhawks hit the road for the rest of the calendar year, going on a six-game road stretch. The road trip begins with a trip to Clemson on Tuesday (Nov. 25) at 6 p.m. CT.
