BEAUMONT, Texas – The Lamar University Cardinals look to extend a pair of school-record winning streaks when they host the Houston Baptist Huskies at 7 p.m. in a Southland Conference women's basketball game in the Montagne Center.
 
The Cardinals (19-6 overall, 14-1 Southland) have won 11 straight games and 27 consecutive games in the Montagne Center. The home winning streak is the second-longest active home-court winning streak in the nation, behind only UConn's 77-game home winning streak.
 
Wednesday's contest is the last regular-season home game for the Cardinals, who will honor seniors Baileigh O'Dell and DeA'ngela Mathis in pregame ceremonies.
 
LU enters the day a half-game ahead of Stephen F. Austin for first place in the conference standings. LU is at SFA at 3:30 p.m. Saturday in a contest that could determine first place in the conference. The Cardinals have already earned a first-round bye in next month's Southland Conference Tournament. The top two teams receive automatic byes into the tournament semifinals. After the SFA game, the Cardinals have a week off before closing the regular season at McNeese on March 3.
 
"We're not looking ahead to Saturday; our focus is on Houston Baptist," LU coach Robin Harmony said. "We have to take care of the business at hand."
 
The Cardinals already own a win over the Huskies this season, claiming a 79-51 in the conference opener on Dec. 28, as O'Dell led LU with 24 points.
 
LU is 11-2 all-time vs. HBU, including a 74-22 win at the Montagne Center last season in HBU's last visit to Beaumont. HBU's 22 points mark the fewest ever allowed by LU in a Southland Conference game.
 
The Cardinals have four scorers averaging in double figures, led by Moe Kinard's 15.9 points per game. Chastadie Barrs (12.6), Mathis (11.9) and Kiandra Bowers (10.1) are the others. Bowers leads LU in rebounding at 9.7 boards per game. Her average of 11.3 rebounds per game in SLC games leads the conference.
 
Barrs continues to lead the nation in steals, averaging 6.44 per game. Barrs, who has a conference-record 161 steals this season, also holds the conference career record with 426 steals. The junior guard has at least one steal in all 86 career games. In addition, her average of 6.5 assists per game leads the conference and ranks 15^th nationally.
 
Houston Baptist (8-16, 4-10) finds itself in need of a win to stay alive in the chase for a spot in the Southland Conference Tournament. The Huskies are three games behind Nicholls and McNeese, who are tied for seventh in the conference at 7-7. The top eight teams qualify for the tourney.
 
Amanda Johnson leads the Huskies in scoring, averaging 15.7 ppg. Johnson averages 15.2 points per outing in conference contests. Lauren Calver averages 10.3 points and a team-best 5.7 rebounds per game for the Huskies vs. SLC foes.
 
TICKETS: For tickets for Wednesday's game, 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. 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.
 
SLC TOURNAMENT TICKETS: Ticket booklets to the Southland Conference Tournament in Katy, Texas, are now on sale at the Montagne Center ticket office. The women's tournament runs from March 8-11. The men's tournament starts March 7 and ends March 10. Tickets may be purchased online BY CLICKING HERE.