BEAUMONT, Texas – Lamar University has returned from its trip to San Diego looking to get back in the win column and no better time like the present as the Cardinals return to Southland Conference play Tuesday. With an odd quirk to the 2025-26 basketball schedule, the Cardinals opened league play on Dec. 6 against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, before traveling to San Diego State. The Cardinals now face UT Rio Grande Valley but will have one more non-conference game before returning to Southland play full time.
 
The Cardinals are 5-4 (.556) on the season but have dropped consecutive games entering Tuesday's contest including the conference opener. Big Red would like to bounce back from their Southland-opening loss to the Islanders. Not that a loss to the Vaqueros would end Lamar's season (obviously, it's only December) but opening the year with consecutive conference home losses would definitely have the Cardinals digging out of a hole early.
 
The Vaqueros are 3-6 (.333) on the season with an 0-1 mark in conference play. UTRGV has dropped four of five and is coming off an eight-point loss against UT Arlington but prior to that defeated Austin Peay, 63-50.
 
While the Cardinals lead the all-time series (44-35/.570) including a series sweep last season, the game in Beaumont included some last second fireworks. With two seconds remaining the game was tied and Lamar was forced to inbound the ball from the opposite baseline. Former Cardinal Ja'Sean Jackson threw the ball the length of the court and it ricochetted off the backboard into the hands of Andrew Holifield who quickly put it back up from 10 feet out scoring the game winner as the buzzer sounded.
 
Tuesday's game is set for a 6 p.m. tip off from the Neches Federal Credit Union Arena at the Montagne Center. It will be broadcast live on Newstalk 560 KLVI and streamed live on ESPN+.
   
LU vs. the Vaqueros
The Cardinals are 44-35 (.557) against UT Rio Grande Valley. That record improves to 27-11 (.711) when the two teams meet in Beaumont. Last season, the Cardinals put an end to a four-game slide against the Vaqueros by sweeping the season series. When Big Red faces UT Rio Grande Valley, it will be searching for its first three-game win streak since the 2009-10 through the 2011-12 seasons.
 
Defending the Nest
Lamar University has made Neches Arena one of the toughest venues for opponents to play over the course of its 40-plus year history. The Cardinals are 383-193 (.665) all-time in Neches Arena. Lamar recorded a program-best 15 home wins in the 1987-88 season. Lamar is 3-1 at home this year.
 
Defense Doesn't Rest
Lamar allowed just 57 points to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and has held three of its last four opponents to less than 60. Saturday marked the fourth time this season that Lamar has held an opponent to fewer than 60 points. LU is second in the Southland Conference, and ranked 33rd nationally, in scoring defense (65.6 ppg).
 
Transfer Leading the Way
Junior Rob Lee, Jr., led the Cardinals with 21 points Saturday against at San Diego State. It marks the sixth time this season that a Cardinal has struck for at least 20 points in a game and the third time for Lee. The Wayne State transfer has scored in double figures in each of the past five games and is averaging 17.0 points per game during that stretch. He currently leads the team and is ranked eighth in the Southland averaging 14.6 points per game.
 
Like a Thief in the Night
Senior Cody Pennebaker has turned up his game on the defensive end of the court. After recording a career-high six steals in the win over UL Lafayette, he posted four steals against A&M-Corpus Christi and two more at San Diego State. He is currently tied for second in the Southland (2.0 pg).
 
The Great Wall of Beaumont
Picking up where he left off last season, senior Andrew Holifield is one of the SLC's top shot blockers again in 2025-26. He blocked four more shots at San Diego State. It marks the sixth time this season he has recorded multiple blocks in a game and the fifth time he has recorded at least three blocks. He is currently second in the league averaging 2.4 per game and tied for 18th nationally. With just two more blocks, Holifield will move onto the school's all-time top-10 list for career blocks in just over a year with the team.
 
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 Cardinals 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. He is a member of the Cardinals Hall of Honor as a player.
 
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, three SLC All-Defensive team picks, two freshmen of the year and a defensive player of the year.