BEAUMONT, Texas – After falling to ninth place in the Southland Conference standings, the Lamar University men's basketball team has now won three of its past four games and enters its weekend showdown with Abilene Christian in a three-way tie for sixth in the standings. The Cardinals will look to take another step up on the ladder with the hit the court against ACU.
 
The Cardinals are in the midst of a dogfight but its far greater than just three teams. Although LU enters the weekend tied with Northwestern State and Central Arkansas (the team Big Red just defeated), the conference standings are jammed up behind the league leaders. The Cardinals are just two games back of second place Sam Houston State and Nicholls, and there is just 2.5 games separation between teams 2 – 9 in the standings.
 
What does all this mean for the league race? Nothing, other than the calendar has turned to February.
 
What does it mean for the Red and White? To keep doing what they've been doing over the course of the past two weeks – find a way to win. A week ago, the Cardinals traveled to rival McNeese to face a Cowboys team that had moved into fourth place in the standings, riding a seven-game win streak, and was within striking distance of the league leaders. The Cardinals got a Southland record 11 three-pointers from sophomore Davion Buster to defeat their rivals. Wednesday, a shorthanded Cards' squad got a team effort that saw four players in double figures and every player who entered the game score at least eight points. Winners in three of their previous four games, the Cardinals will need to continue that trend if they hope to go 1-0 on Saturday.
 
It won't be an easy task against an ACU squad that has picked up right where it left off last season. The defending Southland Conference tournament champions got off to a great start in conference play, but the past six games have resembled more of a roller coaster ride. The Wildcats have split their past six games and are coming off a four-point loss at Northwestern State Wednesday evening.
 
The loss to Northwestern State dropped the Wildcats (12-10/7-4 SLC) into fourth place in the standings just a half game back of Nicholls and SHSU. Abilene Christian is looking to protect their slim half game lead over McNeese and 1.5 game lead over Big Red.
 
The Wildcats return home to Moody Coliseum where they have been tough to knock off this season. The Wildcats are 9-2 (.818) at home in 2019-20 and own a 17-14 (.548) advantage in the series. The Cardinals have dropped six straight, and head to Abilene looking for their first win in the series since the 2014-15 season – a game that was played in Garland. The Cardinals are looking for their first victory in Abilene since the 2013-14 season. LU is 4-11 (.267) all-time against the Wildcats in Abilene.
 
Saturday's game will tip off at 7 p.m. from Moody Coliseum and will be carried live on Newstalk 560 KLVI. The game will also be streamed live on ESPN+.