BEAUMONT, Texas – Lamar University will look to keep its winning ways intact Saturday afternoon when it makes the trek across the border to Lake Charles, La., to face rival McNeese – for the final regular season time as members of the Southland Conference. The Cardinals (7-17/5-10 SLC) enter the weekend showdown ninth in the standings (according to the point system adopted by the Southland Conference for the 2020-21 season) just two points up on McNeese.
 
Oddly, the Cowboys enter the contest on a similar path as LU – playing their best basketball of the season down the stretch. McNeese has won two of its last three, three of their last five heading into Saturday's regular-season finale.
 
The Cardinals are currently just two points ahead of Houston Baptist and three-points up on Central Arkansas, so LU needs to win (or have both of those teams lose Saturday). LU still has a chance to move into the seventh seed with a win and a little help. If the Cards can get past McNeese, UIW loses (at Abilene Christian) and Southeastern Louisiana loses at New Orleans, LU would slide into the seventh spot.
 
The Cardinals lead the all-time series over their rivals, 60-49 (.559), a record which includes the Cardinals' victory in Beaumont earlier this season. Despite the fact LU has the upper hand in the series, the Cards have struggled to an 18-34 (.346) mark in Lake Charles, but that number has started to change under head coach Tic Price. Big Red has won five of the last six in the series and two of the last three in Lake Charles.
 
Saturday's game is slated to tip off at 4 p.m. from Burton Coliseum and will be the second half of a scheduled doubleheader with the LU women.