BEAUMONT, Texas – Lamar University will look to get back in the win column and close out the current three-game homestand with a winning record when they take to the court Thursday evening. The Cardinals have been playing some of their best basketball of the season, despite splitting their last two outings, as they prepare to face Texas A&M-Commerce in a rematch of a game that was played less than two weeks ago.
 
The Cardinals (6-14/2-5 Southland) enter the week tied for eighth in the conference standings with UIW and McNeese. The logjam in the league standings remains as LU is just a game back of New Orleans (four seventh) and just two back of four teams tied for third in the league standings.
 
The first two games of the current homestand have been bittersweet as the Cards have been on a rollercoaster of a ride. What is odd about that ride is the last two games have almost been mirror images of each other with just different outcomes. After falling behind by as many as 16 in the second half to league co-leaders Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, the Cardinals rallied to hit the game winner with eight seconds remaining.
 
Just two days later the Cardinals found themselves in a similar situation down by 15 in the second half to UIW (who trailed Big Red in the standings), only to tie the game up with 2:27 remaining, but miscues down the stretch cost LU in a close contest.
 
The Cardinals look to get back on track and make it three wins in their last five games when A&M-Commerce comes to town. The Lions are part of the four teams tied for third in the league with a 4-3 conference mark. A&M-Commerce has split its last two games since facing the Cardinals the first time defeating New Orleans on the road but falling to Southeastern Louisiana.
 
Saturday's contest will be an interesting game within a game as it pits two of the league's top four scorers against each other. Arizona native Nate Calmese leads the league, and is the country's fourth leading freshman scorer, averaging 16.7 points per game. The Lions' Demarcus Demonia is currently fourth the league averaging 16.2 per game.
 
Thursday's game is slated to tip off at approximately 7 p.m. (or 30 minutes following the women's contest) from the Montagne Center. It will be broadcast live on Newstalk 560 KLVI and streamed live on ESPN+.