BEAUMONT, Texas – It was mission accomplished for Lamar University in its first two Southland Conference games of the season – the task was to go 1-0 on each respective day. While the "1-0 each day" mission hasn't changed it will get a little tougher for the Cardinals (8-7/2-0 SLC) who open a three-game conference road swing beginning Saturday at Nicholls. Both teams enter the weekend showdown in a four-way tie for first place.
 
The Cardinals – winners of three straight – are 2-0 in Southland play for the first time since the 2017-18 season and are looking to move to 3-0 for the first time in nearly 25 years.  For the Red and White to keep their strong start going they will have to do it in a place that has proven historically tough for opponents. While the Cardinals are 28-16 (.636) all-time against Nicholls, only nine of those wins are in Thibodaux, in a series that began during the 1959-60 season.
 
The Colonels (7-8/2-0 SLC) posted some big wins in non-conference with victories over LSU and South Alabama, and fell just short at Maryland, 73-67. Nicholls has won three-straight entering the Saturday showdown with the Cardinals.
 
Big Red has relied on its offense all season as the Cardinals travel to Thibodaux leading the conference in scoring offense (82.5 ppg) but LU is coming off its best defensive performance of the season. Saturday is shaping up as a battle of wills as Nicholls' defense averages fewer than 76 points per game.
 
All season long the Cardinals have had four players averaging in double figures, and as a team rank second in the league in three-point field goal percentage. Lamar's attack has made it tough for opponents to prepare for because if you slow down one player there are several others who can pick up the slack. Junior Adam Hamilton leads the team averaging 12.1 points per game and is pulling down a team-high 7.3 rebounds per game.
 
In addition to the four Cardinals in double-digits, Big Red also has three other players averaging more than eight points per contest.
 
The Colonels' offense presents a similar issue for opponents. Nicholls also has four players in double figures, led by Jamar West, Jr.'s 17 points per game. As a team Nicholls is shooting better than 42 percent from the field and 35 percent from three-point range.
 
Saturday's game is slated to tip off at 3 p.m. from Stopher Gym in Thibodaux, La., and will be broadcast on Newstalk 560 KLVI and streamed live on ESPN+.
 
If everything goes according to plan, the Cardinals will then turnaround and face another potentially undefeated team in McNeese on Monday. The Cowboys (13-2/2-0 SLC) have received a great deal of media attention after a non-conference schedule that saw wins over VCU, Texas State, UAB, Southern Mississippi, UL Lafayette and Michigan.
 
The Cowboys are riding and eight-game win streak heading into their Saturday contest at UIW and are currently ranked seventh in the CollegeInsider.com Mid Major Top 25 poll.
 
McNeese has four players averaging in double-figures, led by Shahada Wells' 19.7 points per game, but the Cowboys hang their hat on defense. McNeese leads the conference surrendering fewer than 60 points per game and are holding opponents to a league-best 36.8 field goal percentage.
 
The Battle of the Border rivalry with McNeese began during the 1951-52 season and has seen the Cardinals jump out to a 62-52 (.544) series advantage. The Cardinals have won four of the previous six meetings in the series but have struggled to a 19-34 (.358) record all-time in Lake Charles. One of those 19 road wins came last season when the Cardinals rallied to defeat McNeese, 70-63, in the Legacy Center.
 
Monday's game is slated for a 7 p.m. tip off from the Legacy Center. It will be broadcast live on Newstalk 560 and streamed live on ESPN+.