BEAUMONT, Texas – The Lamar University men's basketball team is set to open a three-game homestand – it's longest of the season – Thursday when it hosts league co-leaders, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
 
Thursday's contest will pit two teams against each other who are currently at opposite ends of the Southland spectrum. For the Islanders, they come to Beaumont with an 11-7 (.611) overall record and tied for the top spot in the league with a 4-1 (.800) mark. The Islanders have won five of their last six outings with the lone set back during that stretch being a three-point overtime loss to Southeastern Louisiana.
 
The Cardinals (5-13/1-4 SLC) are currently ninth in the league standings a game up on the Southland's other Cardinals, UIW. Big Red has dropped eight of its last nine games but picked up a thrilling last second victory over Nicholls when freshman Nate Calmese buried a three-pointer with a second to go last Thursday. That victory came on the heels of a heartbreaking overtime loss at Southeastern Louisiana.
 
LU brings the league's second-leading scorer (Calmese – 16.5 ppg) into the contest, but the Cardinals as a team are currently tied for ninth in the league averaging 68.2 points per game. Calmese is one of two Cardinals averaging in double-figures for Big Red (Chris Pryor – 10.5 ppg).
 
Isaac Mushila leads an Islander offense that averages better than 80 points per game, with four players averaging in double figures. Mushila enters Thursday's contest averaging 14.0 points per contest. The Islanders also bring the league's second-best scoring defense into the conference surrendering 72.1 points per game (second to only Nicholls).
 
Thursday's game will tip off at approximately 7 p.m., or 30 minutes following the conclusion of the women's game. The game will be broadcast live on Newstalk 560 and streamed live on ESPN+.