For Immediate Release Nov. 28, 2016
 
LU Hoops Travels to Idaho State
 
POCATELLO, Idaho – Winners of the two straight, and four of five to start the season, the Lamar University men's basketball team heads to Idaho State with one mission, staying 'Strong Together.' The Cardinals team motto is exactly how Big Red (4-1) has posted its best record to start a season since the 2008-09 season. The Cardinals have been strong and won together as a team.
 
Everyone on the roster is getting involved for the Cardinals as nine players have scored in double figures over the past two games, including a different player hitting the 20-point plateau in each game, four different players have led the team in scoring this season and three have led the team in rebounds. The Cardinals even had two players post double-doubles in the victory against Prairie View A&M.
 
The Cards now set their sights on an Idaho State squad that enters the week 0-6, but is coming off one of the toughest stretches of any NCAA Division I squad to start the season. Tuesday's contest will serve as ISU's home opener, as the Bengals have traveled to Albuquerque, N.M., Cancun, Mexico and Lubbock, Texas in addition to a couple of stops in Utah before returning home to host LU.
 
The Bengals have been close in several games this year but haven't quite been able to get over the hump. Idaho State has suffered single-digit losses to Utah Valley, Eastern Kentucky and NJIT, in addition to a thrilling game at New Mexico that saw the Lobos make a second-half run to pick up an 11-point victory.
 
Idaho State is coming off a 33-point setback at Texas Tech four nights ago, but they played the game without the services of leading scorer Ethan Telfair. In fact, the Coney Island native, who is averaging better than 21 points per game, has missed the past three games but is expected to play against LU.
 
ISU is 24-6 (.800) all-time in home openers, but Tuesday's game will be just the 10^th time during that 30-year stretch that Idaho State has opened against an NCAA Division I opponent. The Bengals are 4-6 (.400) in those games.
 
For the Cardinals to best Idaho State they will need to get a similar performance offensively that saw them knock down nearly 55 percent of their shots, including a 9-of-17 (.529) effort from beyond the arc against Prairie View A&M. Even with that LU head coach Tic Price wants to see a better effort on the glass and at the free throw line. The Cardinals have only outrebounded an opponent twice this season, and is shooting a mere 62 percent from the stripe.
 
The Cardinals issues from the free throw line have been a pattern of two very different halves. Against UTSA the Cards struggled from the line in the opening half converting just 5-of-12 (.417) attempts but came back in the second half going 8-of-9 (.889). In Friday's when over Prairie View A&M, Big Red hit 9-of-11 (.818) in the opening 20 minutes, but was 13-of-25 (.520) in the second half.
 
The game against Idaho State is set to tip off at 7:05 p.m. (8:05 p.m.) from Holt Arena in Pocatello, Idaho. The game can be heard live on Newstalk 560 KLVI.
 
-LU CARDINALS-