BEAUMONT, Texas – The Lamar University men will step on the court Saturday afternoon to face rival McNeese. In this year of COVID regulations, restrictions, and postponed contests, it will be just the second game for LU in the last 17 days, and their first home game since a Jan. 9^th victory over Houston Baptist.
 
Both LU (3-11/1-4 Southland) and McNeese enter the contest heading in the same direction – a direction they both would like to reverse course from beginning Saturday. The Cardinals have dropped consecutive games and four of their past five, and currently sit 11^th in the Southland standings just a game back of Central Arkansas and Houston Baptist in the loss column, and two games up in the loss column over McNeese.
 
The Cowboys are 7-9 (.438) overall, but just 1-6 (.143) in league play entering the weekend a full game up on Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. McNeese has dropped six of their last seven games, but has split their last two decisions with the victory coming against Houston Baptist.
 
The Cowboys enter the weekend with the league's top rated offense averaging nearly 85 points per game, while shooting better than 50 percent from the field. McNeese has five players averaging 9.9 points per game or better on the season, led by Keshawn Feazell's 14.5 points per game.
 
The Cardinals are averaging 63.6 points per game on the season, led by five players averaging in double figures. Junior Davion Buster leads the team averaging 14.0 per game while senior Avery Sullivan is adding 11.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per night. Freshman point guard, Kasen Harrison, is currently second in the Southland in scoring among freshman (10.7 ppg) and ranks second overall in assists (4.2 apg).
 
The Cardinals lead the all-time series against their rivals, 59-49 (.546), with Big Red holding a 38-14 (.731) advantage in Beaumont. The Cardinals have won seven of the past nine meetings in the series, and are coming off an impressive 80-59 decision over McNeese in the opening round of the conference tournament last season. LU took two of the three meetings last year with each team winning on the other's home court, and LU snagging the conference tournament showdown.
 
Saturday's game is slated to tip off at 4:30 p.m. from the Montagne Center. It will be broadcast live on Newstalk 560 KLVI and streamed live on ESPN+.