BEAUMONT, Texas – Winners of four straight, including three consecutive road game, the Lamar University men's basketball team will put its streak on the line Tuesday when they travel to Hattiesburg, Miss., to take on the Golden Eagles. The Cardinals four-game streak has allowed them pull even on the season (5-5) with three non-conference games remaining until Big Red returns to Southland Conference play.
 
A series that has grown in intensity over the past five seasons, Tuesday's contest will mark the sixth meeting since the 2020-21 season. An elite team in the Sun Belt, the Golden Eagles are 4-6 (.400) on the season, a year which has been a roller coaster of a ride to this point. Southern Miss enters the midweek contest looking to bounce back from consecutive losses (vs. Tulane and Mississippi). While the Golden Eagles have not yet won more than two straight on the year, they also haven't lost more than three in a row.
 
Although the Cardinals played Southern Miss to within three points last season, Big Red will step on the court looking to snap a six-game skid to USM who has won seven of the last eight meetings dating back to 1976-77. The Cardinals' lone win during that stretch was a 95-78 decision later that season as the two teams met twice that year.
 
Tuesday game is set for a 7 p.m. tip off from Reed Green Coliseum and will be streamed live on ESPN+.
 
LU vs. the Golden Eagles
The series between Lamar and Southern Mississippi dates back to the 1959-60 season with the Golden Eagles owning a 12-6 (.667) all-time record. The two teams have met at least once in each of the last five seasons. The Golden Eagles have won six straight in the series but Big Red took the Golden Eagles right down to the wire last season dropping a three-point decision in Beaumont. The Cardinals are 2-6 (.250) all-time against Southern Miss in Hattiesburg and are going for the first win since the 1976-77 season.
 
Going Streaking
Lamar's current four-game win streak equals its longest from last season and of the four wins three have come on the road (at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, UT Rio Grande Valley and UL Lafayette). The Cardinals' victory against their former conference rival was the program's first non-conference road win since it defeated UL Monroe, 63-60, in December 2020. That night, the Cardinals hit a three-pointer from just inside the half court line at the buzzer for the win.
 
Double-Double
Beaumont native Andrew Holifield recorded his second double-double of the season with his 17 points and career-high 11 rebounds to help lead the Cardinals to a victory at UL Lafayette. Holifield was 7-of-10 (.700) from the field. He also blocked two shots and recorded a steal in the victory. Holifield currently ranks among the top 20 in the Southland Conference in points and rebounds and would be ranked in the top five in field goal percentage except he has not yet reached the minimum number of attempts to qualify.
 
Ragin' Cajun Rivalry
A series that dates back to the 1951-52 season and has been renewed 88 times saw Lamar put up one of the best defensive performances in series history. The Cardinals held ULL to less than 30 percent from the field and long range, blocked eight shots and allowed just 45 points - the second fewest in series history and the fewest since 1962-63 season.
 
The Defense Doesn't Rest
Lamar University held UL Lafayette to fewer than 50 points. The last time the Cardinals held an NCAA Division I opponent to fewer than 50 points came during the 2020-21 season against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. That day Lamar surrendered just 47 points to the Islanders.
 
LU in December
Lamar is 303-228 (.571) all-time in the month of December and has posted better than a .500 record in the month 43 times. The Cardinals have notched a perfect record in the month four times. The Cardinals' December record is 201-47 (.810) during home games in the year's final month.
 
Downeaster Alexis
Junior guard Alexis Marmolejos is out to a quick start in his first season with LU.  A native of Santiago, D.R., Marmolejos leads the team, and is third in the Southland, averaging 15.9 points per game. He has scored in double figures in nine of the 10 games.
 
Career High Off the Bench
Junior Janko Bulajic recorded one the best games of his career Saturday at UL Lafayette. A native of Montenegro, Bulajic came off the bench to tie a career high with 12 points, dish out four assists, grab a rebound and block one shot in 19 minutes of action.
 
Sharing the Wealth
Four Cardinals scored in double figures Saturday and all but one player who checked into the game scored. It marks the fourth time this season that LU has had at lead four player score in double figures.