BEAUMONT, Texas – As Lamar University enters the midway point of the 2022-23 season, games begin to take on more importance now that everyone in the Southland Conference has kicked off their league schedule. After dropping their conference-opening tilt, the shorthanded Cardinals (4-10/0-1 SLC) will head to Louisiana for an important two-game road swing beginning Thursday against New Orleans.
 
Coming off a tough conference home-opening loss against McNeese, the Cardinals will look to bounce back Thursday against the Privateers. The Cardinals will be looking to put an end to a five-game skid that has seen the Cardinals drop nine of their last 10 games. During that stretch, Big Red has been without the services of numerous players, including several starters.
 
The Cardinals will be taking on a UNO squad that is arguably in the same boat. The Privateers (3-9/0-1 SLC) have also struggled to find consistency lately dropping consecutive games and six of six of their last seven. The lone victory during that stretch was an eight-point decision over Dillard University.
 
Both schools enter Thursday in search of their first conference win and are two of five league school's looking for their first win of the league schedule.
 
While the Cardinals have struggled to find consistency, due in large part to the rash of injuries, Big Red's youth has paid dividends during the early part of the schedule. True freshman Nate Calmese is the Southland top freshman scorer (15.1 ppg) and ranks among the nation's top-10 freshman scorers. The Arizona native has ranked among the league's leading scorer's since the start of the season.
 
Calmese is one of three Cardinals averaging in double-figures, and one of four scoring more than 9.0 points per game, for an offense that is averaging better than 68 points per contest. The Cardinals are shooting nearly 43 percent from the field but have struggled from long range knocking down 26.5 percent of their three-point attempts.
 
UNO is also averaging 68 points per contest, led by three players in double figures. The Privateers' primary threat on offense is Jordan Johnson – a 6-1 guard out of Memphis – who currently leads the league averaging nearly 17.5 points per game. The Privateers have struggled at times defensively this season allowing nearly 83 points per game to opponents.
 
Thursday's game will tip off at 7 p.m. from Lakefront Arena. It will be broadcast live on Newstalk 560 and streamed live on EPSN+. Following Thursday's game, the Cardinals will stay on the road for a Saturday afternoon showdown at Southeastern Louisiana (6-8/0-1 SLC). The Lions will host Houston Christian Thursday before facing LU.