BEAUMONT, Texas (Interstat) — McNeese State survived a furious second-half rally by Lamar to escape with a 64-63 victory in a Southland Conference men’s basketball game Saturday at Montagne Center. The Cowboys led 31-23 at halftime, but the Cardinals outscored them 40-33 after intermission in front of 5,714 fans.

Larry Johnson led McNeese State with 22 points, while Jerrell Colbert added 10 points and five blocks. Lamar’s Rob Lee scored a game-high 25 points in the losing effort. The Cowboys improved to 18-4 overall, while the Cardinals moved to 11-11. McNeese State capitalized on Lamar’s nine turnovers, scoring 14 points off them, and outscored the Cardinals 20-4 in fastbreak points.