Box Score



BEAUMONT, Texas – Southeastern senior guard Latoria Holder scored a game-high 16 points to lead the Lady Lions to their first road win of the season, 69-61, over Lamar in Southland Conference women's basketball action Wednesday night in the Montagne Center.

Senior guard Jessica Sommers hit a tie-breaking three with just over two minutes left, as Southeastern closed the game with a 13-3 run to improve to 7-13 overall and 2-5 in league play. Lamar (10-11, 2-5 Southland) lost for only the second time at home this season.

Holder's career night highlighted perhaps Southeastern's most balanced offensive effort of the year. Holder was joined in double figures by Sommers (12 points), senior guard Kelli Jenkins (11 points) and sophomore forward Aja Gibson (11 points). Junior forward Brandi Simmons and freshman guard Elizabeth Styles added nine points each.

Simmons led Southeastern with five assists, while Jenkins and Styles had four assists apiece, as the Lady Lions finished with 16 assists versus just 11 turnovers. Jenkins' now has 402 career assists and is only the sixth player in school history with 400 career assists. Gibson fell one rebound short of her fourth double-double of the year with nine boards, while Simmons grabbed seven rebounds.

The Lady Lions also scored 20 points off 15 Lamar turnovers, as Holder led the way with four steals. Gibson and freshman forward Hillary Shaffer also had two blocked shots for Southeastern.

Senior guard Ang Green led Lamar with 12 points and was joined in double figures by junior guard Taylor Hays who chipped in with 11 points. Junior center Danielle Heithoff grabbed 10 rebounds to lead Lamar, while sophomore guard Gia Ayers dished out a team-high five assists.

Southeastern led by five at the break and built the lead to as much as 10 midway through the second half. However, Lamar came storming back and took a 58-56 lead with 3:31 left. On the ensuing possession, Jenkins – despite losing her shoe midway through the play – hit a baseline jumper to tie the score.

After both teams traded empty possessions, Simmons kicked it out to a wide-open Sommers in the corner. The San Antonio, Texas native's fourth trey of the game put Southeastern up for good, 61-58, with 2:21 left. 

Both teams missed several scoring opportunities over the next minute and a half. With Lamar pressing as the clock ticked under a minute, Sommers broke the press and found a wide open Simmons to put the Lady Lions ahead, 63-58, with 50 seconds left. From there, Jenkins, Holder, Simmons and Miller combined to go 6-for-8 from the free throw line to clinch the team's first win away from home since a 77-66 win over Nicholls in the 2010-11 regular season finale. 

Southeastern went into the break with a five-point halftime lead. Holder paced the Southeastern attack with 10 points, while Gibson had nine for the Lady Lions in the opening 20 minutes.

Lamar led 9-2 early, but Southeastern was able to take the lead late in the half. Southeastern forced 12 Lady Cardinal turnovers in the first half, scoring 16 points off the LU miscues. Holder paced the Southeastern defensive attack with three steals in the first half.

Wednesday's game was the first of two road contests this week for Southeastern. On Saturday, Southeastern will be in Huntsville, Texas to face Sam Houston State at 2 p.m. in a game that will be broadcast live in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9) and on the Internet at www.LionSports.net.

Southeastern Louisiana (7-13, 2-5 Southland)
Gibson 5-10 1-2 11, Simmons 4-8 1-3 9, Jenkins 4-13 3-6 11, Sommers 4-9 0-0 12, Holder 5-9 4-4 16, Crenshaw 0-0 0-0 0, Styles 4-6 1-2 9, Shaffer 0-2 0-0 0, Miller 0-3 1-2 2. Totals 26-60 11-19 69.

Lamar (10-11, 2-5 Southland)
Whittaker 2-8 2-2 6, Heithoff 2-6 2-2 6, Ayers 1-4 1-2 4, Mock 4-12 0-0 9, Hayes 4-11 0-0 11, Loyd 2-6 0-0 4, Green 3-9 6-6 12, Henderson 3-4 2-2 9. Totals 21-60 13-14 61.

Halftime – SLU 32, LU 27. 3-point goals – SLU 6-13 (Sommers 4-8, Holder 2-4, Miller 0-1), LU 6-14 (Hays 3-8, Mock 1-2, Ayers 1-1, Henderson 1-1, Whittaker 0-1, Green 0-1). Technical Fouls – None. Fouled Out – None. Rebounds – SLU 36 (Gibson 9), LU 43 (Heithoff 10). Assists – SLU 16 (Simmons 5), LU 11 (Ayers 5). Total Fouls – SLU 13, LU 17. A - 746.