BEAUMONT, Texas – The Lamar University Cardinals look to clinch the top seed in next month's Southland Conference Women's Basketball Tournament when they take on the Stephen F. Austin Ladyjacks at 3:30 p.m. Saturday in Nacogdoches, Texas.
 
The Cardinals (20-6 overall, 15-1 Southland) own a half-game lead over SFA (22-4, 14-1). An LU win would guarantee LU at least a share of the conference regular-season title, and would make the Cardinals the top seed based on a season sweep of SFA.
 
"We know it's going to be a tough game," LU coach Robin Harmony said. "SFA is a tough team, especially in its building. We have to be ready to play from the start."
 
The Cardinals have won a school-record 12 consecutive games, including a 79-65 win over SFA at the Montagne Center on Feb. 3. SFA has won five straight games since that loss.
 
SFA is 14-0 at home this season, including 8-0 vs. Southland Conference competition.
 
LU comes into the game off a convincing 90-55 win over visiting Houston Baptist on Wednesday. LU led 26-6 after one quarter and never looked back as it tied the program record for conference wins in a season. DeA'ngela Mathis had a career-high 35 points in the win, while Chastadie Barrs set a Southland Conference record with her fourth triple-double of the season as she finished with 16 points, 10 assists and 10 steals.
 
"DeA'ngela played like a senior should on Senior Night," Harmony said of Mathis' performance in her final regular-season game in the Montagne Center. "She's showing why she was a junior college All-American."
 
Barrs has a conference-record 171 steals this season as she leads the nation in steals and steals per game (6.58). The two-time Southland Conference defensive player of the year has at least one steal in all 87 games of her career. The junior already holds the Southland Conference career record with 436 thefts.
 
Saturday's game features the conference top scoring teams. LU averages a conference-best 75.7 points per game overall and 78.2 points per game in conference play. SFA is second in both categories, averaging 70.3 ppg overall and 73.4 ppg vs. SLC opponents.
 
Moe Kinard leads LU in scoring, averaging 16.1 ppg. Mathis, who averages 12.8 ppg, is averaging a team-leading 16.7 ppg in SLC play. Stevi Parker leads SFA in scoring at 12.8 points per game while leading the conference in rebounding at 9.8 boards per game.
 
Following the contest with SFA, the Cardinals are idle until the regular-season finale at McNeese at 1 p.m. March 3. The Southland Conference Tournament runs from March 8-11 at the Leonard E. Merrell Center in Katy, Texas. By virtue of LU's bye into the semifinals, the Cardinals will play their first tourney game on March 10.
 
Saturday's game will be broadcast live on KLVI (AM 560) with Harold Mann providing the play-by-play. The game will be streamed live online on ESPN3.
 
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.