BEAUMONT, Texas – It's the date that Lamar University and McNeese fans circle on their calendar each year, rivalry week. The Cardinals (18-12/11-6 SLC) close out the regular season Saturday against rival, McNeese. The game – which is selling tickets for just $1 – has a lot riding on it in terms of the postseason.
 
Winners of seven straight and nine of their last 10, the Cardinals enter the weekend showdown as the Southland Conference's hottest team. Over the course of the past five weeks, the Cardinals have pulled themselves from a tie for last in the conference into fifth place, just a half game back of New Orleans and a game back of Southeastern Louisiana.
 
The Cardinals are safely in the fifth position and can't be caught by any of the teams that are behind them in the standings, and LU still has a shot at the four seed. Several things need to happen that are out of Big Red's control, but first and foremost, the Cardinals have to defeat McNeese Saturday. If the Cardinals get past McNeese, they will also need Southeastern Louisiana to defeat Nicholls in Thibodaux and have Texas A&M-Corpus Christi defeat Houston Baptist in Corpus Christi. If A&M-Corpus Christi doesn't defeat HBU, the Cardinals still have a path to the four seed. If LU and Southeastern get wins Saturday, but A&M-Corpus Christi loses to HBU, the Cardinals would then need both Stephen F. Austin and Central Arkansas to lose.
 
Before any of the other games come into play, the Cardinals have one huge hurdle standing in their way that they have to get past, or none of the aforementioned scenarios matter. The Cowboys (9-21/5-12 SLC) come to Beaumont in 12^th place in the league standings, six games back of LU in the conference. McNeese was eliminated from postseason play with their nine-point loss to McNeese Wednesday in Lake Charles. The old adage goes that once a team is eliminated from the playoffs during the regular season, they're just "playing out the string." Unfortunately, Saturday is a rivalry and old adages, like the records, can be thrown out the window.
 
Both teams, no matter the record or what playoff scenario is at stake, will be playing for pride of school, fans and their classmates and that is more than enough. The Cowboys would love nothing more than to roll into Beaumont and do what they did last season – prevent the Red and White from getting the No. 4 seed (and a first-round bye). McNeese has struggled down the stretch entering the season finale dropping two straight and eight of their past 10 games.
 
When the two teams step on the court Saturday to renew their rivalry, it will be the 104^th meeting between the two schools. The Cardinals currently hold a 56-48 (.538) advantage in the series, which includes an 84-75 victory in Lake Charles earlier this season. The Cardinals have won four of the past five meetings and are going in search of their second season sweep of their rivals in the past three years. Big Red is an impressive 37-14 (.725) all-time against McNeese in Beaumont.
 
Saturday will serve as the final home game for seniors Nick Garth and Josh Nzeakor. Two of the most prolific scorers in program history, both have scored more than 1,000 points in their career. Garth is the school's all-time leader in three-point field goals, while Nzeakor will graduate among he school's all-time leaders in rebounds.
 
The contest will tip off at approximately 4:30 p.m. from the Montagne Center. Fans who have not yet purchased their tickets can do so for only $1 through the LU Ticket Office by calling (409) 880-1715 or by logging onto www.LamarCardinals.com.
 
Saturday's game can also be heard live on Newstalk 560 and will be streamed live on ESPN+.