BEAUMONT, Texas – After an impressive season opener, the Lamar University Cardinals are set to return to action Monday against TCU. The Cardinals will take a step up in competition as they look to move to 2-0 on the year. The Horned Frogs are 1-1 on the season after opening the year with a four-point setback against New Orleans before bouncing back with an impressive 104-63 decision over St. Francis.
 
TCU is looking to improve from a 16-16 (.500) season last year season that ended in the first round of the Big 12 Championship tournament. Lamar enters game two of the season looking to build upon a successful 2024-25 season that saw the Red and White post a 20-win season and advance to the championship game of the SLC tournament.
 
The Cardinals never trailed in their season-opening victory over Texas A&M-San Antonio, led by redshirt freshman Jayden Gambrell. The Houston native came off the bench to score a game-high 27 points on 6-of-13 shooting from long range. Gambrell was one of four Cardinals to score in double figures as Lamar shot better than 52 percent from the field.
 
Monday's contest will be the 14^th all-time meeting between the two schools. The Horned Frogs hold an 11-2 (.846) series advantage. Lamar has never defeated TCU in Fort Worth.  The Horned Frogs have won five consecutive in the series with the last Lamar victory coming in Beaumont during the 1986-87 season. The last time the two schools met on the hardwood was the 2022-23 season with TCU recording an 11-point victory.
 
Monday's game is slated for a 7 p.m. tip from Schollmaier Arena and will be streamed live on ESPN+.
   
LU vs. the Horned Frogs
Lamar trails the all-time series against TCU, 2-11, and has never beaten the Horned Frogs in Fort Worth (in nine tries). TCU has won the last five meetings with the last LU victory coming in Beaumont during the 1986-87 season. The last time the two schools met on the hardwood was the 2022-23 season with TCU recording an 11-point decision.  
 
Freshman Debut
Redshirt freshman Jayden Gambrell waited an entire season to make his debut for Lamar and he took full advantage of the opportunity. The Houston, Texas native scored a team-high 27 points on 10-of-18 shooting (including a 6-of-13/.462 on effort on threes).
 
Building on the Foundation
After a two-win season during his first year, LU head coach Alvin Brooks has only improved on each previous season culminating in last year's 20-win campaign. What is even more impressive about the Cardinals current run is that it is done while also losing their leading scorer each season. If the Cardinals were to improve this season, it would mean at least a 21-win season and that would be the program's first back-to-back 20-win campaigns since 1983-84 and 1984-85.
 
Let's Run It Back
The Cardinals enter 2025-26 looking to become just the third team in program history to record improved win totals over a five-year stretch, and the first since 1973-74. For Lamar to do that this season, they would have to get to 21 wins.
 
Records Are Meant to Be Broken
Last year, the Cardinals recorded their best conference season since 2007-08, in addition to that, LU set a program record for Southland wins in a season (14).
 
Returning Talent
The Cardinals return two starters and six letterwinners from last year's squad - a number that does not include B.B. Knight (10.7 ppg, 37 percent on three-pointers in 2023-24) who was sidelined last season due to injury.
 
The Great Wall of Beaumont
Known for what he does on the offensive end of the floor, senior Andrew Holifield is just as impactful on defense. The Cardinals led the league in blocks last season (5.0 bpg) due in large part to Holifield. The Beaumont native ended the year second in the conference with 54 total blocks (1.6 pg). Holifield is also the team's top returning scorer (10.4 ppg) and rebounder (5.6 rpg). The Beaumont native recorded 19 points, four rebounds and a block, steal and assist in the season opener.
 
Building on the Past
Head coach Alvin Brooks has a direct link to Lamar's successful history. One in a long line of LU standout point guards, Brooks guided the Cards to a 47-16 (.746) overall record, two conference titles, the NCAA Sweet 16, a 3-2 NCAA tournament record and graduated as the school's all-time leader in assists.
 
The Cardinal Rule
Lamar has been one of the Southland'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 85 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 and three SLC All-Defensive team picks, two freshmen of the year and a defensive player of the year.