BEAUMONT, Texas – The Lamar University Cardinals attempt to break free from the logjam in the middle of the Southland Conference women's basketball pack when they host the Stephen F. Austin Ladyjacks at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Montagne Center.
 
The Cardinals (10-14 overall, 6-7 Southland) are tied with Houston Baptist for the No. 6 seed in next month's Southland Conference Tournament, one game ahead of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Sam Houston State, who are tied for the eighth, and final, berth with five games remaining. LU is 1.5 games behind Stephen F. Austin (13-10, 7-5), which holds the fifth seed.
 
"The standings are really tight," LU coach Robin Harmony said. "Every game is so important. Everybody has to show up for every game. We have to stay competitive for 40 minutes."
 
Thursday's game will be the second meeting of the season between LU and SFA, with the Cardinals coming away with a 64-60 win at SFA on Jan. 21, thanks in part to a career-high 25 points from Baileigh O'Dell. That was the last loss for the Ladyjacks, who have reeled off six straight wins since then.
 
Addesha Collins, who has scored 70 points over the last three games, leads LU in scoring, averaging 14.7 points per game. The 5-foot-2 senior guard is averaging 17.4 points per game in conference contests.
 
"Addesha is playing the way a senior should," LU coach Robin Harmony said. "She is stepping up and being a leader for us."
 
Freshman forward Kiara Desamours averages 12.0 points per game in conference play to go along with 7.9 boards per game in conference play, tops among Southland Conference freshmen. Desamours hauled down a career-high 14 rebounds in LU's last game, a 77-66 loss to Houston Baptist.
 
The Cardinals are also getting outstanding play from another freshman, Chastadie Barrs. The guard is second on the team in scoring this season, averaging 9.8 points per game. Barrs leads LU in assists with 86 and is second in the nation in steals, averaging 3.96 per game.
 
Stephen F. Austin, last season's regular-season champion, has four players who average in double figures in scoring, led by junior guard Taylor Ross, who averages 16.5 points per game.
 
Following the game with SFA, the Cardinals open a home-and-home series with archrival McNeese State. LU is at McNeese State at 1 p.m. Saturday before hosting the Cowgirls at 7 p.m. Feb. 24.
 
Thursday's game will be a Pink Zone game designed to promote awareness of breast-cancer research. The Cardinals will wear special uniforms, and fans will receive free T-shirts with pink script courtesy of FivePoint Credit Union while supplies last. Fans are encouraged to wear pink to the game to show their support.
 
Thursday's game will air live on KLVI (AM 560) and be shown online at ESPN3. For ticket information, please call 409-880-1715, or CLICK HERE.