BEAUMONT, Texas – The Lamar University Cardinals look to extend their winning streak to 10 games when they host the UIW Cardinals in a Southland Conference women's basketball game at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Montagne Center.
 
LU (10-3 overall, 3-0 Southland) enters the week in a three-way tie with Abilene Christian and Stephen F. Austin atop the SLC standings. That logjam could be broken this weekend, as SFA is at Abilene Christian on Thursday night and LU visits Abilene Christian at 2 p.m. Saturday.
 
LU has been especially dominant at the Montagne Center this season, posting an 8-0 record at home while outscoring its opponents by an average of 32.2 points per game. 
 
"We still have a way to go to get where we need to be, but we're getting better," LU coach Robin Harmony said. "We know we can be better in our quarter-court defense, but our offense has been stepping up and making up for some of our mistakes."
 
While Harmony feels LU's quarter-court defense could be better, there's no doubt that LU's full-court pressure defense has been superb. LU leads the nation in steals (14.4 per game), turnovers forced (25.85 per game) and turnover margin (plus 10.46 per game). LU's relentless style wears down opponents as the game goes on. LU has outscored its foes 502-383 in the second half this season, including 237-189 in the fourth quarter.
 
"I think we're in better shape than most of our opponents," Harmony said. "That is one of the reasons we run so much in practice. We're also able to go deep into our bench."
 
LU's Chastadie Barrs is third in the nation in steals at 4.62 per game. The sophomore guard has at least one steal in all 44 games of her career. Barrs is also getting it done on the other end of the court, as she ranks 20^th in the nation in assists at 6.5 per game.
 
Moe Kinard, who had a career-high 31 points in LU's 86-68 win over Southeastern Louisiana on Saturday, leads LU in scoring at 16.8 points per game. Kiandra Bowers averages 12.8 points per game and leads the Southland Conference in rebounding at 10.2 per game. Bowers leads the nation in offensive rebounding, averaging 6.15 offensive boards per contest.
 
UIW (4-11, 2-2) is led by forward Celia Garcia Paunero, who averages 17.4 points and 10.0 rebounds per game. Cheyenne Berry (12.7), Haley Frias (10.1) and Imani Robinson (10.1) also average in double figures in scoring for UIW.
 
UIW is 2-0 in conference road games this season, claiming a 78-52 won at Nicholls and an 85-76 decision at Southeastern Louisiana.
 
LU has a 5-0 lead in the overall series that started in the 2013-14 season.
 
LU will get on a bus after the game to head to Abilene, Texas, for a showdown with defending regular-season champion Abilene Christian at 2 p.m. Saturday. LU, Abilene Christian and Stephen F. Austin enter the week in a three-way tie for first in the Southland Conference. One team is guaranteed to be knocked from the unbeaten ranks in SLC play on Thursday as Stephen F. Austin visits Abilene Christian.
 
Thursday's game will be streamed live on ESPN3. Fans attending the game will receive a free T-shirt, courtesy of Neches Federal Credit Union, while supplies last. In addition, there will be a postgame autograph session with LU's juniors.
 
For tickets for all LU home games, call 409-880-1715, or CLICK HERE.