BEAUMONT, Texas – When Lamar University steps on the court Monday it will be starting Southland Conference play fulltime. Despite being two games into the conference schedule, the 2025-26 slate had the Cardinals' first two league games followed by two non-conference contest.
 
It's a unique situation for Lamar as the Cardinals (5-6/0-2 SLC) are the lone SLC school looking for their first conference win of the season. Lamar returns from its Christmas break looking to right the ship as Big Red is in the midst of a four-game skid.
 
That is the bad news. The good news comes from the fact it is still very early in the season, a win Monday would jump Lamar three spots in the standings and there is a total of eight SLC schools with just one win.
 
One of those eight is Northwestern State (3-8/1-1 SLC). The Demons seem to be coming out of their own rough stretch. NSU has responded to four consecutive losses by winning two of its last three games including an eight-point decision at Southeastern Louisiana.
 
Lamar holds a 33-29 all-time series advantage in a rivalry that dates back to the 1951-52 season. Unfortunately, Lamar has had very little success in Natchitoches posting just a 9-21 (.300) record.
 
Monday's game is set to tip off at 6:30 p.m. from Prather Coliseum. It will be broadcast live on Newstalk 560 KLVI and streamed live on ESPN+.
   
LU vs. the Demons
The contest between Lamar and Northwestern State will be the 63rd all-time. LU holds a 33-29 advantage in the series, but it shifts heavily in favor of the Demons when the two meet in Natchitoches, 9-21 (.300). The Cards have won the past four meetings including a 10-point decision over NSU last season in Prather. Lamar is going in search of their fifth consecutive win in the series for just the third time.
 
20 Somethings
Senior Andrew Holifield led the way for Lamar against UT Rio Grande Valley. The Beaumont native scored a career-high 24 points. Junior Rob Lee, Jr., followed that up with a team-high 24 points four nights later versus Omaha. It marks the seventh and eighth time this season that a Cardinal has scored at least 20 points in a game. Holifield and Lee are two of four different players who have hit the 20-point plateau this year.
 
Career High
Sophomore Braden East scored 17 points and pulled down a career-high 14 rebounds Saturday against Omaha. It marked the first time this season that East has come off the bench. The double-double was his team-high fourth of the season.
 
Defense Doesn't Rest
Senior Andrew Holifield continues to be a threat on defense. He recorded three blocks against Omaha to remain second in the SLC averaging 2.3 per game. He also moved to ninth on the school's all-time blocks list. In similar fashion, senior Cody Pennebaker is second in the league averaging 2.1 steals per game.
 
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. He is a member of the Cardinals Hall of Honor.