BEAUMONT, Texas – The Lamar University Cardinals attempt to get back over the .500 mark in Southland Conference play when they play at Houston Baptist at 7 p.m. Wednesday.
 
LU (10-13 overall, 6-6 Southland) also looks to win three straight games for the first time this season. The Cardinals have won two straight games on three occasions this season.
 
The Cardinals have gotten a big lift from senior guard Addesha Collins, who was named Southland Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Week for her efforts in LU's wins over Incarnate Word and first-place Abilene Christian. Collins has scored in double digits in four of the last five games, and leads the team in scoring, averaging 14.2 points per game. Collins is ninth in the conference in scoring in SLC games with an average of 16.7 points per contest.
 
"Addesha has been tremendous," she's playing like a senior should play," LU coach Robin Harmony said. "We're going to need her to step it up again on Wednesday."
 
Houston Baptist (10-11, 5-6) saw its two-game winning streak snapped with a 64-50 loss to visiting Stephen F. Austin on Saturday. The Huskies are led by 6-foot-1 forward Anna Strickland, who is fourth in the nation with 16 double-doubles. Strickland averages a team-best 13.1 points per game, and is fourth in the nation in rebounding, averaging 13.3 boards per game. Senior forward Monet Neal averages 12.6 points and 7.0 rebounds per game.
 
This will be the second meeting between the teams this season. LU posted a 77-70 win over the Huskies at the Montagne Center on Jan. 23, as four Cardinals scored in double figures. Collins had 24 points, Laka Blache had 16 points, Kiara Desamours had 15 points and eight rebounds, while Chastadie Barrs added 14 points and seven steals. LU leads the all-time series 7-1.
 
"This is going to be a tough game," Harmony said. "They play well at home. We have to play our game and stay out of foul trouble. We'd love to have our fans make the short trip to Houston to cheer us on. It would be great to see Cardinals in the stands."
 
LU enters the week tied with Stephen F. Austin for the fifth seed in next month's Southland Conference Tournament. The Cardinals are just a half-game behind Northwestern State and Nicholls, who are tied for the third seed with 6-5 conference records. The third- and fourth-place teams get first-round tournament byes, while the top two seeds get byes into the tournament semifinals.
 
"We control our own destiny for getting a good seed in the tournament," Harmony said. "We have to work hard and play a full 40 minutes."
 
You can listen to the live audio broadcast of Wednesday's game by CLICKING HERE.
 
Following Wednesday's game, LU is idle until hosting Stephen F. Austin at 7 p.m. Feb. 18 in the annual Pink Zone game to promote breast-cancer awareness.
 
"It's probably good to have a break," Harmony said. "It will give them some time to concentrate on academics and rest up a bit before the final push."
 
For ticket information for LU home games, please call 409-880-1715, or CLICK HERE.