ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The Lamar University Cardinals play their first game in 16 days as they wrap up the non-conference portion of their schedule when they face the host New Mexico Lobos at 8 p.m. (Central) Wednesday.
 
The Cardinals (5-4) have been idle since a 116-37 victory over Schreiner on Dec. 4. New Mexico (11-0) saw its 11-game winning streak end with a 105-63 loss at Oklahoma on Saturday.
 
"New Mexico is a very good team," LU coach Robin Harmony said. "These games help us get ready for Southland Conference play."
 
The Cardinals will certainly have their hands full with a Lobos squad that is 9-0 at home this season. New Mexico has home wins over Marquette, Illinois and Texas Tech among others this year.
 
Wednesday's contest features two of the nation's highest-scoring teams. LU enters the game averaging 84.8 points per game, good for 14^th in the nation, while the Lobos are 12^th nationally at 86.0 points per game.
 
Moe Kinard leads LU in scoring at 17.0 points per game, followed by Chastadie Barrs (13.8) and Jadyn Pimentel. (10.0). Kiandra Bowers averages 9.6 points per game to go along with a team-leading figure of 7.4 rebounds per game.
 
Barrs, who has at least one steal in all 70 games in her career, is closing in on LU's all-time steals record. The junior guard has 324 steals, nine shy of the school mark of 333 set by Ramona Jones. Barrs leads the nation in steals at 6.56 per game this season.
 
New Mexico has four scorers averaging double figures, led by Cherise Beynon at 16.8 points per game.
 
Wednesday's contest is just the second ever between the two programs. New Mexico was a 64-58 winner over LU on Dec. 3, 2010 at the Arizona State Classic in Tempe, Arizona.
 
Wednesday's contest is the first of three straight road games for the Cardinals, who open Southland Conference play with games at Houston Baptist at 7 p.m. Dec. 28 and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at 5 p.m. Dec. 30.
 
Wednesday's game will be streamed live online by the Mountain West Network.
 
LU's next home game is 7 p.m. Jan.3, when New Orleans comes to the Montagne Center, where the Cardinals have won 19 straight games.
 
TICKETS: For tickets, please call 409-880-1715, or CLICK HERE. The Montagne Center ticket office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. It reopens one hour prior to tipoff on weeknights and weekends. LU students receive free admission to home games with their Cardinal One card, while Junior Cardinal Club members are admitted for free when they present their membership badge.