BEAUMONT, Texas (Interstat) — Rob Lee scored 28 points and Lamar used a dominant second-half surge to pull away from Texas A&M-Commerce for an 82-61 victory in a Southland Conference men’s basketball game Tuesday night at the Montagne Center.

The game, played before an announced crowd of 1,297, was a tale of two halves. The teams were separated by just two points at halftime, with Lamar holding a narrow 35-33 edge. The second half, however, belonged entirely to the Cardinals, who outscored the Lions 47-28 after the break.

Lee, a 6-foot-2 guard from Flint, Michigan, was the catalyst for Lamar’s offensive explosion. He poured in his game-high total on 10-of-18 shooting, including four 3-pointers, and added two assists in 25 minutes of action. His performance set the tone as Lamar’s offense found a rhythm that Texas A&M-Commerce could not match.

The most important stretch of the game came early in the second half. After Texas A&M-Commerce’s Vinny Sigona hit a 3-pointer to cut Lamar’s lead to 37-36 with 17:11 remaining, the Cardinals responded with a decisive 18-5 run over the next six minutes. Lee was at the heart of the spurt, scoring eight points during the run, including a pair of 3-pointers. Braden East, who finished with 12 points and three blocks, also contributed four points during the pivotal stretch, which gave Lamar a commanding 55-41 lead with 11:13 left.

The Lions never recovered. Their offensive struggles, persistent throughout the night, were encapsulated in their shooting numbers. Texas A&M-Commerce shot just 35.9% from the field (23 of 64) and a dismal 47.1% from the free-throw line (8 of 17). They also managed only nine assists against nine turnovers.

Damian Garcia led the Lions with 11 points and four assists, while Noah Pagotto added 10 points. Gianni Hunt contributed seven points and a team-high five assists. The Lions’ defense did force 13 Lamar turnovers, converting them into nine steals, but they could not capitalize enough on the offensive end.

Lamar, by contrast, operated with high efficiency. The Cardinals shot 48.4% from the field (31 of 64) and an identical 48.4% from 3-point range (11 of 24). They also dominated the interior defensively, blocking nine shots, led by three each from East and Andrew Holifield. Holifield, a hometown product from Beaumont, also chipped in nine points.

Beyond Lee and East, Lamar received balanced contributions. KingNjhsanni Wilhite scored 12 points, and Cody Pennebaker added six points, four assists, two steals and two blocks in a strong all-around effort.

The victory improved Lamar’s season record to 11-10 overall. Texas A&M-Commerce fell to 8-13. The win also completed a regular-season sweep for the Cardinals, who defeated the Lions 69-62 in Commerce on Dec. 31.

According to Interstat’s ELO system, Lamar entered the game with an 86.80 percent probability to win and covered the pregame spread of -6.5. The total score of 143 points went under the over/under line of 139.

Lamar will look to build on the win when it hosts McNeese State on Saturday. Texas A&M-Commerce continues its road trip at Northwestern State, also on Saturday.