BEAUMONT, Texas – As the calendar has moved to February, teams across the country are turning their focus to the back half of the conference schedule trying position themselves for a strong finish as we approach March Madness. It is the exact same for the Lamar University men's basketball team who opens a key stretch over the next two weeks that will have the Cardinals (7-17/3-8 Southland) on the road for three of the next four.
 
That stretch begins Thursday when Big Red travels to San Antonio to take on UIW – the league's other Cardinals. Big Red enters the week currently in a two-way tie for eighth (New Orleans) just a game up on McNeese.
 
The last time UIW squared off against the Cardinals, the team from San Antonio entered the week still looking for their first conference win of the season. Now a month later, UIW has become one of the hottest teams in the league rattling off five victories in their last five games and currently sit alone in sixth place just 1.5 games back of Nicholls. UIW's lone loss during that stretch was a 10-point setback at league co-leader Southeastern Louisiana.
 
The Cardinals own a 10-6 (.625) all-time record against UIW, but the Southland's other Cardinals have taken two of the previous three meetings, including a six-point decision in Beaumont earlier this season. LU has had some success in San Antonio winning four of the seven all-time meetings in McDermott Arena.
 
Thursday's game is slated to tip off at 7:30 p.m. and will be broadcast live on Newstalk 560 KLVI and streamed live on ESPN+.