BEAUMONT, Texas – Lamar University fans will have one more opportunity to see Big Red compete before the team takes a few days off for the Christmas holidays. The Cardinals (4-8) will host the University of the Pacific Tuesday evening in the Montagne Center. The game against UOP will be the Cardinals' final tune-up before the start of Southland Conference play against rival McNeese on New Years' Eve.
 
It has been a tough stretch for the Red and White who have dropped three straight and seven of their last eight.
 
The exact opposite can be argued for the Tigers who, after a slow start, are playing some of their best basketball of the season. After a stretch that saw them drop four straight and six of seven, Pacific has now won three of its last four games including a one-point thriller over San Jose State.
 
As a team, the Cardinals are shooting 43 percent from the field and averaging nearly 70 points per contest. LU's offense is led by freshman Nate Calmese's 16.4 points per game – a mark which leads the league and is the third-best mark in the nation (among freshman).
 
Another LU newcomer, Chris Pryor has benefitted from Calmese's hot start. The DeSoto, Texas native currently leads the Southland averaging better than four assists per game.
 
Jordan Ivy-Curry is one of four Tigers to average in double-figures for a team that is shooting nearly 45 percent from the field. Pacific is averaging nearly 76 points per game and makes it's living from long range where they are converting nearly 40 percent of their three-point attempts (while attempting nearly 23 triples per game).
 
The game is slated to tip off at 7 p.m. from the Montagne Center and will be broadcast live on Newstalk 560, and streamed live on ESPN+.