Southeastern’s junior guard/forward Nick Caldwell scored a career-high 30 points in a 77-72 overtime loss to the Lamar University Cardinals (15-11, 9-4 SLC) on Monday night at the Pride Roofing University Center.
The Green and Gold fall below .500 with a record of 13-14 (8-6 SLC) following the loss to Lamar, and their six-game winning streak has been snapped.
Down 62-60, Cardinals’ guard Adam Hamilton hit the game-tying shot to send his team to overtime. In the extra period, LU enjoyed a 5-0 run in the last 1:23 of the ballgame to secure the win.
Hamilton ended the night with 14 points. Forward Terry Anderson put up 19, guard Chris Pryor scored 18 and guard Jakevion Buckely added 15 off the bench.
Along with scoring a career-high, Caldwell pulled down 12 boards and notched his third straight double-double. Before Monday night’s game, the Prairieville native scored 24 points and hit a game-winning three-point basket against Houston Christian University on Feb. 17.
“He’s so consistent and does so many things for us on both ends of the floor. Defending, rebounding and making shots. He’s been here for so long that he knows what I’m thinking. It helps a lot to have guys that understand what we want from them,” Head Coach David Kiefer said after the game versus HCU.
Caldwell has scored 20 points or more in three straight games and is having his best season wearing the Green and Gold, averaging a comfortable 15.8 points per game, shooting 55.6% from the field, 42.4% from three and 80.2% from the charity stripe.
Senior guard Roscoe Eastmond scored a season-high 17 points, including 12 in the first half. He added seven assists to just two turnovers to his stat line in the loss.
Eastmond dished a career-best 15 assists in SLU’s dramatic triumph over HCU on Saturday.
Although the Cardinals shot 42.2% from the field and an abysmal 6-25 from the three-point line, they won by getting to the foul line. They attempted 25 free throws compared to 16 for the Lions.
Along with having the free throw advantage, Lamar used its lengthy starting five to outscore Southeastern 36-16 in the paint. The combined height and athleticism gave SLU trouble throughout the match and it finally showed in OT.
The Green and Gold will be back in action at the PRUC against the University of New Orleans (8-19, 3-11 SLC).
On Jan. 6, SLU defeated UNO 73-68 behind a 19-point performance from sophomore forward Brock Rowbury. The Lions will be looking to complete the sweep to climb up the Southland Conference standings.
Tune in on ESPN+ at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 24, to watch the Lions take on the Privateers. For more information and coverage on Lions basketball, visit The Lion’s Roar.
