BEAUMONT, Texas – The Lamar University Cardinals go for their 13^th straight win at home this season when they host the Sam Houston State Bearkats in a Southland Conference women's basketball game at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the Montagne Center. It's the first game of a hoops doubleheader, with the men's game between Sam Houston State and LU scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m.
 
The Cardinals (16-5 overall, 9-2 Southland) are 12-0 at home this season, outscoring their opponents by an average of 28.2 points per game. In six Southland Conference games at the Montagne Center this year, the Cards have a scoring margin of plus 21.5 points per game.
 
"Our girls love playing at home, and it shows," said LU coach Robin Harmony, who has her team just a half-game out of first place entering the week. "It's hard to come back on us once we build a lead at home."
 
The Cards, who enter Thursday's contest on a four-game winning streak, have been getting tremendous play from senior post Kiandra Bowers, the reigning Southland Conference Player of the Week. Bowers has had three straight double-doubles, giving her 12 on the season. She had a career-high 30 points in Saturday's 79-57 victory over McNeese.
 
"Kiandra is unstoppable," Harmony said. "We haven't found anyone in the league who is able to stop her."
 
Bowers is averaging 14.6 points and 10.7 rebounds this season. She ranks 16^th in the nation in rebounding and tops in the nation in offensive rebounding at 6.0 per game. She is 13^th in the nation in field-goal percentage at 60.3 percent. Her numbers are even more impressive in conference play, as she is averaging 15.7 points and 11.4 rebounds per outing while connecting on 65.5 percent of her shots.
 
Moe Kinard, the previous SLC Player of the Week, continues to lead the Cardinals in scoring with an average of 16.4 points per game. Kinard is averaging 18 points per contest in SLC games.
 
Defensively, Chastadie Barrs continues to lead the nation in steals per game at 4.52 per contest. The sophomore guard has at least one steal in all 52 games in her career. Barrs also leads the conference in assists with an average of 6.6 per game, good for 14^th on the national list.
 
As a team, the Cardinals lead the nation in steals per game (14.0), turnovers forced (24.76 per game) and turnover margin (plus 9.24). LU is second in offensive rebounding, averaging 19.05 per game.
 
The Cardinals are tied with Central Arkansas for second place, just a half-game behind Abilene Christian, which is 9-1 in SLC play. Stephen F. Austin, LU's Saturday opponent, is 8-2 in the conference. With Abilene Christian ineligible for the Southland Conference Tournament, LU, Central Arkansas and SFA are all battling for the top two seeds in the tournament, which gives those two teams automatic byes into the semifinals.
 
Sam Houston State (1-19, 1-9) is fighting to stay alive for a berth in the tournament. The Bearkats are 2½ games behind Texas A&M-Corpus Christi for the eighth, and final, tourney berth with eight games to play.
 
Jasmine McCants leads the Bearkats in scoring at 8.8 points per game, while Jenniffer Oramas averages 8.2 points per outing. The Bearkats are on the other end of the turnover spectrum for the Cardinals, ranking 345 out of 345 teams in turnover margin at minus 9.45 per game.
 
This is the second meeting of the season between the teams. LU was a 70-44 winner at Sam Houston State on Jan. 18. Bowers had 19 points and 10 rebounds in the win, while Kinard added 18 points.
 
UP NEXT: The Cardinals are at SFA at 3:30 p.m. Saturday for a crucial contest with the Ladyjacks. Saturday opens a three-game road swing for the Cards, who are at Houston Baptist on Feb. 15 and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Feb. 18. LU's next home game is 2 p.m. Feb. 25 vs. Houston Baptist.
 
ALL-TIME SERIES: LU holds a 32-27 lead in the all-time series that dates to the 1970-71 season.
 
EVERY GAME IS AN EVENT: Fans at Thursday's games will receive a free T-shirt courtesy of MCT Credit Union. There will be a student organization challenge at both games, with cash prizes to the top organizations. There will be a postgame autograph session after the women's contest with the team's seniors.
 
ESPN3: Both of Thursday's games will be streamed live on ESPN3.
 
HOP ON THE BUS, GUS: LU will be offering a shuttle to the Montagne Center for Thursday's games. The shuttle will run from 5-6 p.m., 7:30-8:30 p.m. and 9:30-10:30 p.m. The shuttle will pick up students in front of Gentry Hall and drop off at the Montagne Center Gate 1. Following the game, students can catch the shuttle back to the dorms outside Gate 1, and be taken back to Gentry Hall.
 
TICKETS: For tickets for all home games, call 409-880-1715, or CLICK HERE. The Montagne Center ticket office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, and will remain open Thursday evening.