BEAUMONT, Texas – For the second time this season, Lamar University and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi will step on the court in a battle of second-place teams. Unfortunately, the Islanders took the first meeting between the two, but Saturday's contest will be in Beaumont. All-time, the Cardinals have dominated A&M-Corpus Christi in Beaumont posting a 14-6 (.700) record in those games.
 
So what makes this game so much more important than the first meeting? The fact that time is running out and there are fewer games left on the schedule to recover from a setback. The winner – barring a collapse down final stretch run – will take over the driver's seat for the No. 2 seed in next month's Southland Conference tournament.
 
What is so important about the No. 2 seed? The fact that the Nos. 1 and 2 seeds will play two fewer games in the tournament than seeds 5 – 8 and one less than the third and fourth seed. So, the two seed gets basically the same advantages as the top overall seed.
 
In addition to that, the possibility still remains for the Cardinals to chase down the league-leading McNeese Cowboys. Lamar has no margin for error  for the regular season crown so they will have to thread the needle, meaning win out and get some help from the rest of McNeese's upcoming opponents. But, none of that matters right now. The only the thing that is a priority is Saturday's date with the Islanders.
 
Winners in three of their last four games, including two of those on the road and one of those being and overtime thriller at Southeastern Louisiana, the Cardinals now sit four games over .500 (15-11) on the season. Big Red has already secured a berth in the conference tournament, and regardless of anything else that happens LU has already turned in a six-game improvement from last year which was a seven-game improvement from the year before.
 
The Islanders bring a 16-10 overall record (9-4 SLC) to Beaumont. A&M-Corpus Christi enters the contest with consecutive wins but they've gone 2-2 since the last time they faced Lamar (Feb. 3).
 
Saturday's game will be a showdown between two of the top three scoring teams in the Southland. The Cardinals lead the league (80.5 ppg) while the Islanders are third (75.2 ppg). Both teams approach the game from a similar position. Neither team relies on just one player for its offense, but numerous guys who can score. The Cardinals have four players averaging in double figures led by Terry Anderson's 12.6, while the Islanders have two players in double figures, and five who average better than 8.0 per game, led by Garry Clark's 12.1 per game.
 
Saturday's game is slated for 6 p.m. tip off from the Neches Federal Credit Union Arena at the Montagne Center. The game will be broadcast live on Newstalk 560 KLVI and streamed live on ESPN+.