COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- An old rivalry was renewed Sunday afternoon as the Lamar Cardinals (2-2) were barely able to best the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (0-3) in the final day of the 2006 Shelby Metcalf Classic in Reed Arena on the campus of Texas A&M in a game that went down to the wire.

?This is a game I feel like we should have won,? Tech head coach Keith Richard said. ?They came down the stretch at the end and made plays. It?s very disappointing.?

Offense was difficult to come by for the first four minutes, and with 15:45 in the first half, the game was tied at four apiece. After a pair of Lamar free throws, Tech answered with a lay up from senior Chad McKenzie. Senior Harry Disy gave Tech the lead with a lay-up at the 15:00 mark 8-6.

Five minutes later, Tech added to a lead with a shot clock-buzzer beating three from senior Trey McDowell to put the Dawgs ahead 18-12 with 10:39 in the first half.

After a brief Lamar rally, sophomore Drew Washington hit a three-pointer with 5:23 on the clock to extend Tech?s lead to 26-20.

Lamar took the lead back after a 7-0 run before senior Terry Parker took the lead back 28-27 for Tech after a pair of free throws with 2:45 left in the half.

The Cardinals would not go quietly into the locker room, however, and led 34-33 at the half. McDowell led Tech in scoring at intermission with eight points.

Senior Marcus Elliot knocked down his first three-pointer of the night with 19:01 left to go in the game to give the Bulldogs the lead 36-34. The three led to a 7-2 run before Lamar recovered to give the Bulldogs the 41-36 lead.

Lamar rallied yet again, and with 12:38 left in the game, a floated from Parker tied the game at 48 for the Bulldogs. Lamar out-scored Tech 11-7 over the next four minutes before McKenzie scored his tenth point of the game to cut the Cardinal lead to 59-57.
Washington knocked down another three to give the Bulldogs the lead at the 6:21 mark 60-59.

The Bulldogs took a 66-63 lead on a steal and fast-break lay up by Elliot with 2:16 left in the game, before the Cardinals finally held on to win near the end.


The Bulldogs were led by Elliot and Parker with 13 points apiece. Elliot was also named to the all-tournament squad after his offensive effort. Davis led the Cardinals with 35 points. Tech leads the all-time series with Lamar 33-29.

?Defensively, we have to figure out how to defend somebody big,? Richard said. ?We let him push us down. We played soft tonight. We have to get better at that.?

The Bulldogs will return to action Wednesday, Nov. 22, on the road at McNeese State. Tip off is set for 7 p.m.