BEAUMONT, Texas – It can be said that Lamar University is facing a key two-game road stretch in Southland play, but the facts are it is conference play and every game is equally important. With that being said, the Cardinals will be traveling to Thibodaux and New Orleans, La. over the weekend for contests against Nicholls and UNO.
 
The Cardinals (9-8/4-4 SLC) will be in Thibodaux, La. Saturday where they will look to move over the .500 mark in conference play for the first time this season. Winners in four of its last six, the Cardinals travel east in a three-way tie for fifth in the standings just a game back of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and a game up on UIW.
 
The Cardinals are currently 3.0 games back of the league co-leaders, which is where Nicholls currently stands (8-9/7-1 SLC). The Colonels recently fell from the ranks of the unbeaten Monday with a loss at McNeese.
 
While Lamar has found success against Nicholls under head coach Alvin Brooks – having won five-straight in the series – Stopher Gym in Thibodaux has proven difficult for most teams to play in. Nicholls is a perfect 5-0 there this season and the Colonels enter the week feeling the need for revenge. Lamar took all three games in the series last season including a three-point victory that ended Nicholls' 2024-25 run in the SLC tournament semifinals.
 
After Saturday's contest, the Cardinals will hit the road for the Big Easy to face the Privateers Monday. UNO is currently tied in the conference standings with Lamar.
 
Saturday's game is set for a 3 p.m. tip off. It will be broadcast live on Newstalk 560 KLVI and streamed live on ESPN+.
   
LU vs. the Colonels
Lamar leads the all-time series over Nicholls, 33-16 (.673), and has performed well in Thibodaux over the years. The Cardinals hold an 11-10 (.524) record over the Colonels in Stopher Gym. The Cardinals head to Thibodaux looking for their sixth consecutive win in the series and eighth in the last nine tries. Big Red is also going in search of its third-straight road victory in the series.
 
Enter the Cardinal
Lamar University has had at least one player hit the 20-point plateau 11 times this season, but junior Rob Lee, Jr. took it to another level Monday against Houston Christian. The Flint, Mich., native scored a career-high 31 points on 9-of-13 (.692) from the field and 4-of-6 (.667) from three-point range. Lee scored 24 of his 31 in the final 20 minutes and Lamar rallied to defeat the Huskies. Lee's seven rebounds against the Huskies also tied a career high. He currently ranks seventh in the league averaging 15.5 points per game.
 
Husky Deja Vu
Rob Lee, Jr. becomes the first Cardinal to score 30 points in a game since former Cardinal Nate Calmese dropped 32 against Houston Christian during the 2022-23 season.
 
Great Wall of Beaumont
Beaumont senior Andrew Holifield tied a season high with his four blocks against Houston Christian. It marks the third time this season he has blocked a career-high four shots in a game, and the eighth time he has recorded at least three blocks. Holifield is currently second in the Southland averaging 2.1 blocks per game.
 
Defense Doesn't Rest
Similar to Andrew Holifield, a couple other Cardinals are challenging for league-leading honors in other defensive categories. Sophomore Braden East leads the Southland pulling down 8.2 rebounds per game while Senior Cody Pennebaker is tied for seventh in the league averaging 1.5 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.
 
The Cardinal Rule
Lamar has been one of the SLC'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 selections, two freshmen and a defensive player of the year.