BEAUMONT, Texas – The Lamar University women's basketball team faces a tough task as it seeks its first road win of the season, taking on the undefeated Missouri =Tigers at 2 p.m. Sunday.
 
The Cardinals (3-6) are 0-5 away from the Montagne Center this season, but come into Sunday's game of an 82-66 home victory over Texas A&M-Kingsville on Thursday. Missouri (10-0) has been idle since a 79-75 win at Colorado on Dec. 12.
 
"Missouri is obviously a tremendous team," LU coach Robin Harmony said. "But these are the types of teams we want to play to get ready for our Southland Conference schedule."
 
Senior guard JaMeisha Edwards leads LU in scoring, averaging 17.6 points per game. Edwards, who needs 52 points to become the 13^th player in LU history to score 1,000 career points, had a season-high 31 points in the win over Texas A&M-Kingsville. Edwards has scored in double figures in seven straight games, and has at least 20 points in four of the last five games. Edwards is ninth in the nation in 3-point field goals, averaging 3.33 per game.
 
Freshman guard Chastadie Barrs leads LU in rebounding (6.3 per game), assists (39) and steals (38). Barrs is second in the nation in steals per game, averaging 4.22 thefts per outing.
 
After going the first seven games of the season with a player registering a double-double, the Cardinals have had double-doubles in back-to-back games, as freshman forward Kiara Desamours and sophomore forward Laka Blache each collected the first of their career. Desamours had 10 points and a career-high 11 rebounds in Monday's 57-55 loss to Canisius, while Blache had career highs of 17 points and 10 rebounds in Thursday's win over Texas A&M-Kingsville.
 
"We sure our young players getting better with each game," Harmony said. "They're making some mistakes due to inexperience, but they learn every time out."
 
Missouri, which is not ranked in the top 25 despite its 10-0 start, is 11^th in the nation in scoring margin, outscoring its opponents by an average of 23.7 points per game.  Sophie Cunningham leads the Tigers in scoring with an average of 15.1 points per game.
 
The Tigers outrebound their foes by an average of 12.1 per game, which ranks 15^th in the nation. Missouri leads the all-time series 2-0. The two teams haven't met since Nov. 27, 1995, when the Tigers claimed a 106-57 victory on their home court.
 
Sunday's game will be shown live on the SEC Network+, which is available by CLICKING HERE.
 
Following Sunday's game, the Cardinals take a break for Christmas before closing out the non-conference portion of their schedule by hosting Howard Payne at 7 p.m. Dec. 30.