BEAUMONT, Texas (Interstat) — In a matchup of Southland Conference rivals both seeking to climb above .500, the Lamar Cardinals used a decisive second-half surge to pull away from the Incarnate Word Cardinals for a 63-51 victory on Saturday night at the Montagne Center.

A crowd of 1,414 watched as Lamar, led by a game-high 23 points from Braden East, improved its season record to 8-8, mirroring the now 8-8 mark of Incarnate Word. The game, statistically projected to favor Lamar with a 73.3% win probability, lived up to that forecast as the home team executed more efficiently down the stretch.

The contest was a defensive struggle for long stretches, with both teams struggling to find consistent offensive rhythm. Incarnate Word shot just 38.5% from the field and a crippling 37.5% from the free-throw line, missing 10 of 16 attempts. Lamar countered by converting 11 of 16 free throws and posted a significantly higher offensive rating of 97.5 points per 100 possessions compared to Incarnate Word’s 81.5.

The first half was a low-scoring, back-and-forth affair. Incarnate Word’s Marcus Glover provided an early highlight with an alley-oop finish from Tahj Staveskie, but Lamar’s defense and timely scoring from East and Errol White, who had eight first-half points, helped build a 28-19 lead at the break. Incarnate Word’s offensive woes were encapsulated by a stretch of four consecutive missed free throws by Glover late in the period.

The most important sequence of the game came early in the second half, as Incarnate Word mounted a threat only to be emphatically answered by Lamar. After trailing by nine, Incarnate Word opened the second period with urgency. Staveskie and Davion Bailey connected on three-pointers, and a Marcus Glover layup cut Lamar’s lead to 33-31 with 16:43 remaining, forcing a tense atmosphere in the arena.

Lamar responded with immediate and sustained force. On the ensuing possession, Andrew Holifield sank a critical three-pointer off an assist from Rob Lee. This sparked a 12-2 run over the next five minutes that effectively decided the contest. The run was fueled by Lamar’s defensive pressure, which generated turnovers and contested shots, and a balanced attack. East was the focal point, scoring on a driving layup and drawing fouls, while Holifield added another three-pointer. When East converted a layup with 11:42 to go, Lamar’s lead had ballooned to 45-33.

Incarnate Word could never recover from that pivotal stretch. Every attempt to chip into the deficit was met with a counter from Lamar. East continued to be a problem in the paint, and Holifield delivered the dagger with a three-pointer at the 1:59 mark, assisted by Lee, to extend the lead to 60-51. Rob Lee then sealed the win with his own three-pointer on the next Lamar possession.

Beyond East’s 23 points in just 24 minutes of action, Lamar received key contributions from Holifield, who finished with 11 points and two blocks, and Lee, who tallied 13 points and five assists. For Incarnate Word, Tahj Staveskie led the way with 11 points and seven assists, while Marcus Glover added 10 points and three blocks. Amani Drummond provided a spark off the bench with nine points.

The game was a conference opener for both teams, setting the tone for their Southland schedules. Lamar will look to build on the win when it hosts Houston Christian on Monday. Incarnate Word, meanwhile, will aim to regroup quickly as it travels to face Stephen F. Austin, also on Monday.