BEAUMONT, Texas – Lamar University will play a 31-game schedule in 2022-23, highlighted by 15 home games, announced head coach Alvin Brooks Friday morning. In addition to the 15 games at the Montagne Center, the Cardinals will also play 21 games within the state of Texas and four less than an hour away in Lake Charles, La., providing LU fans plenty of opportunities to support the Cardinals in person.
 
"I really like this schedule," said Brooks. "It will challenge our guys, but also it will give our guys more of an opportunity to play at home. Last year we opened up at home, but then hit the road for a while and didn't return home until early December. We also didn't get a chance to play too many non-conference home games. This season we will have six home games during the non-conference portion of the schedule. In addition to that, we also got a waiver to play in McNeese MTE tournament and that is just down Interstate 10.
 
"We have a new group this year, with some young guys, but I'm excited they will get to play a lot of games in front of their family, friends and our great fans," added Brooks.
 
Among the 15 home games, six of those will come during the non-conference portion of the schedule, including home dates against Texas State (Dec. 1), Southern Mississippi (Dec. 13) and the University of the Pacific (Dec. 20).
 
The Red and White will tip the season off with an exhibition game against North American University Nov. 2 at home, before opening the regular season against St. Thomas Monday, Nov. 7^th. LU will be at home for two of their first three as it hits the road Friday, Nov. 11^th to face TCU before returning home to host Huston-Tillotson (Nov. 14).
 
After the game against Huston-Tillotson, the Cardinals will make the short trip over to Lake Charles, La., to play three games in as many days as part of the McNeese MTE tournament. The Cardinals will face Lindenwood Friday, Nov. 18^th, followed by Western Carolina on the 19^th and will conclude the tournament with a non-conference contest against rival McNeese (Nov. 20). The game against the Cowboys will serve as one of three this season as LU received a waiver from the NCAA to play in the tournament after announcing its move back to the Southland. The actual Battle of the Border contest will also take place with home-and-home dates during the conference portion of the schedule.
 
Big Red will then get a week to prepare for a trip to SMU (Nov. 27), before returning home for three of the next four games. That stretch will see the Cards host Texas State, Our Lady of the Lake (Dec. 5) and travel to Southern Miss (Dec. 10) before returning home to host the Golden Eagles just three days later.
 
In an odd scheduling quirk for the 2022-23 season, the contest against USM will be one of two meetings where LU will face an opponent in back-to-back games (vs. Houston Baptist – Feb. 16 and at HBU – Feb. 18).
 
The Cardinals will be in Monroe, La., Dec. 17^th to face former conference foe UL Monroe. It will be the first visit back to Fant-Ewing Coliseum since the 2020-21 campaign when the Cardinals sank a last second shot from just inside the half court line for the win – a play that also made ESPN Sportscenter's Top 10.
 
Big Red closes out the non-conference portion of the season Tuesday, Dec. 20 against the University of the Pacific, and when the Cardinals return from the Christmas break they will officially make their return to the Southland Conference against rival McNeese in the Battle of the Border (Saturday, Dec. 31 at the Montagne Center). The Cardinals will make the return trip to Lake Charles for the second game of the rivalry Thursday, Feb. 2^nd.
 
The conference tournament will take place at the H&HP Complex in Lake Charles, La., from Saturday, Mar. 4 through Wednesday, Mar. 8.