BEAUMONT, Texas – After a thrilling victory at UL Monroe, the Lamar University men's basketball team, returned to Beaumont looking to make it two in a row in their home opener, but a slow start in the first half was too much to overcome. Now the Cardinals (1-5) hit the road traveling to Ruston, La., looking to get back in the win column against a very tough Louisiana Tech squad.

The Bulldogs have opened the season on a good note with a 5-2 (.714) overall record, but have split their past four games. Louisiana Tech is coming off a blowout victory over Jackson State, after dropping a five-point decision at UL Lafayette. The Bulldogs have been very tough on opponents at home this season posting a 5-0 record in the Thomas Assembly Center. 

The Cardinals will look to get out to a quicker start offensively Saturday, compared to their previous two games. Big Red has struggled in the opening halves of each of its past two games, despite earning a split in those contests. In the first half of the Cards last two games LU is shooting 17-of-60 (.283). It's different story coming out of the locker room as the Cardinals have converted 27-of-56 (.482) attempts in the final 20 minutes of those games, including a 12-of-22 (.545) effort Tuesday night against Southern Mississippi.

Despite having his start to the season delayed, junior Davion Buster picked up right where he left off last season. Buster has recorded efforts of 16 and 19 points and enters the weekend averaging better than 17 points per game. Buster is one of four Cardinals averaging in double figures. Sophomore Anderson Kopp is second on the team averaging 12.8 per game, while Quinlan Bennett is averaging better than 11 points. Senior Avery Sullivan is scoring nearly 11 points per game, while leading the Cardinals on the glass pulling down 7.5 rebounds per game.

The Bulldogs are averaging better than 74 points per game, and are being led by Kalob Ledoux (15.3 points per game). Ledoux has some familiarity with LU having played the first two seasons of his collegiate career at McNeese.

Louisiana Tech is the second of three former Southland schools that LU will face this season (UL Monroe and UTSA). The Cardinals trail the all-time series against Louisiana Tech, 30-32 (.484), a mark that includes a 9-20 (.310) record in Ruston. The game against the Bulldogs will be the first since the 2006-07 season, and just the second since 1998.

Saturday's game at Louisiana Tech will tip off at 1 p.m. from Thomas Assembly Center. It will also be streamed live on the C-USA Network.