BEAUMONT, Texas – The suddenly surging Lamar University Cardinals (6-17/4-10 Southland) are attempting to make a late season push to get into the Southland Conference postseason tournament next month in Katy. Big Red has taken a huge step in the right direction over the course of the past week by knocking off UIW on the road and returning home to defeat Stephen F. Austin Saturday.
 
With two games remaining in the regular season, the Cardinals are currently 10^th in the Southland standings, just two points back of rival McNeese (who LU closes the season with), but due to Stephen F. Austin being ineligible for the postseason this year, LU is actually ninth, needing to get past just one more team. A victory over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, combined with a McNeese lost Thursday, would move Big Red into eighth place setting up a showdown in Lake Charles Saturday for the final playoff spot.
 
Before any of that can take place, the Cardinals will have to get past Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, who defeated the Cardinals earlier this season in Corpus. The Islanders (4-17/1-11 SLC) are currently last in the league standings, but with three games in the season's final week, they still have a path to the postseason.
 
The late season drama exists in its current situation due in large part to COVID. Monday's game was originally scheduled to be played in mid-January but was postponed due positive COVID and subsequent contact tracing.
 
The Cardinals lead the all-time series, 22-11 (.667) over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, which includes a loss in Corpus Christi earlier this year. The Cardinals are 12-6 (.667) all-time against the Islanders in Beaumont. LU has won five of the last seven meetings in the series, but has dropped two of the past three. Big Red has not dropped a home game to the Islanders since an overtime loss during the 2016-17 season.
 
Monday's game is slated to tip off at 7 p.m. from the Montagne Center and will be broadcast live on Newstalk 560 KLVI. It will also be streamed live on ESPN+.