BEAUMONT, Texas – Lamar University will be renewing its rivalry with McNeese Saturday – the Battle of the Border – when they travel to Lake Charles, La. McNeese sits atop the league standings as the Southland's lone remaining undefeated team in conference play (12-5/6-0 SLC), while the Cardinals enter the weekend looking to bounce back from a tough week.
 
The Cardinals (9-8/4-2 SLC) fell from the ranks of the undefeated a week ago, with a home setback to Stephen F. Austin and then followed that up by dropping a game to New Orleans but wins on Saturday and Monday would help the Red and White flip the script. McNeese is in first place and the team the Cardinals will face Monday is currently tied with LU.
 
The most important game on the schedule right now for the Cardinals is Saturday. McNeese is currently playing its best basketball of the season winning seven straight and eight of their last nine. The Cowboys are also 6-1 (.857) at home this season. The flip side of that coin is Lamar has played better on the road this season than at home. The Cardinals opened conference play with wins at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and UT Rio Grande Valley and followed that up with a blowout win at UL Lafayette and a four-point win at Southern Mississippi.
 
While Lamar leads the all-time series, the Cardinals have dropped three straight and five of the last six to McNeese. Saturday's game is set for a 4 p.m. tip off from the Legacy Center. It will be broadcast live on Newstalk 560 and streamed live on ESPN+.
   
LU vs. the Cowboys
Originating during the 1951-52 season, the Battle of the Border rivalry has favored Lamar over the years, but McNeese has had the upper hand lately. The Cardinals lead the all-time series, 62-55 (.530), but McNeese took all three meetings last season and has won five of the last six. The Cardinals have struggled when they cross the border into Louisiana posting a 19-36 (.345) all-time record in Lake Charles.
 
LU in January
The Cardinals are 296-285 (.510) all-time in the month of January. LU has produced above .500 records in the month 32 times in program history which includes three perfect records (1965-66, 1968-69 and 1987-88). That win percentage jumps when looking at home games. The Cards are 206-109 (.655) all-time at home in the year's first month. 
 
Career High
For the second time this season, and the first time since the season opener, junior Danquez Dawsey struck for double figures against New Orleans. The Lawton, Okla., native notched a career-high 15 points on 6-of-9 (.667) shooting from the field, which included a 3-of-4 effort from long range. Dawsey also finished the night with three assists and two steals.
 
Windex Award Goes To ...
Junior guard Alexis Marmolejos is known more as a scorer – leading the team in scoring (14.9 ppg) – but Monday he proved that he is also a strong rebounder from his guard spot. The Dominican Republic native grabbed a career-high nine rebounds against New Orleans.
 
The Great Wall of Beaumont
Lamar enters the week leading the Southland Conference in blocks (5.0 pg). The Cardinals boast of two of the league's top shot blockers in junior Andrew Holifield (1.9 pg/2nd) and senior Adam Hamilton (1.5/T4th). The Cardinals 5.0 blocks per game (85 total) rank 30th nationally ahead of powerhouse programs like Kentucky, Kansas and Creighton.
 
Double-Double
Senior Ja'Sean Jackson recorded a unique double-double in the team's victory over UIW. The San Antonio native scored 15 points and led all players with 10 assists. It is the first double-double of his career and the fourth time this season a Cardinal has recorded one. It's also the first time a Cardinal had recorded 10 assists in a game since Chris Pryor last season. Jackson is currently tied for second in the Southland averaging 4.2 assists per game. Jackson leads the league in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.3).
  
The Cardinal Rule
LU has been one of the Southland Conference's more dominant teams. LU has won 53 percent of league games and has more NCAA tournament appearances than any of the current SLC schools (6), and their five NIT berths are also tops in the league. LU has had 84 players earn All-SLC honors, including 32 first-team selections. Six players have been named league newcomer of the year, five SLC tournament MVPs, four SLC Players of the Year, two freshmen of the year and a defensive player of the year.