BEAUMONT, Texas – Lamar University is looking to bounce back after a heartbreaking road trip to Abilene Christian. The Cardinals (1-1) trailed ACU by double figures but eventually found their rhythm and rallied to within one only to drop a two-point decision to the Wildcats.
 
Big Red will now face Centenary in a midweek contest that will be the Cardinals final home game in November. The Gents are 0-1 after dropping their season opener at Belhaven. Centenary enters 2026-27 looking to build from an 11-16 campaign last year that saw them go 8-8 in conference play.
 
A former NCAA Division I opponent, Centenary has squared off with LU 21 times in program history. The series dates back to the 1951-52 season with the Gents owning a one-game lead in the series, 11-10, but the majority of those wins came from 1971-1975 when the two schools played nine times. Centenary is now an NCAA Division III school representing the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference. Wednesday's contest will be the first meeting since the 1996-97 season. Lamar enters the week having won four straight in the series.
 
The second-leading scoring team in the Southland, through the first two games, Lamar is just one of two league schools averaging at least 100 points per game. LU is averaging 102.5 points while shooting better than 52 percent from the field (75-of-143/.524). The Cardinals are also shooting 19-of-54 (.352) from three-point range on the young season.
 
A huge reason for that is senior Quante Berry. The Memphis transfer has struck for at least 20 in each of his first two games for the Red and White. He is one of seven different players to have recorded double-figures this season, and one of three who has reached double figures in both.
 
Wednesday's game is set for a 6 p.m. start from the Neches Federal Credit Union Arena at the Montagne Center. It will be streamed live on ESPN+.
   
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 but struggled a bit at home last year. The Cardinals are 388-200 (.659) all-time in Neches Arena. Lamar recorded a program-best 15 home wins in the 1987-88 season and are 1-0 in Neches Arena this season.
 
LU vs. Gents
The all-time series between Lamar University and Centenary dates back to the 1951-52 season with the Gents holding a slim 11-10 (.524) record. The record in Beaumont is even at 5-5 (.500). The Cardinals have won the previous four meetings in series history but the two schools haven't met on the hardwood since November 1996.
 
A Berry Impressive Start to the Season
Junior Quante Berry has gotten out to a great start offensively for the Red and White. He becomes the first player to score at least 20 points in consecutive games since former Cardinal Rob Lee Jr. last season. After two games, Berry is the Southland's second leading scorer (21.0 ppg), ninth in the league in field goal percentage (17-of-33/.515) and ranked among the top 15 in three-point field goals per game (2.0 pg).
 
Spreading the Wealth
Although it is very early in the season, Lamar University has already proven they will not have to rely on just one or two players for offense. In their first two games, Big Red has already had seven different players strike for double figures. Quante Berry, Dominic Eason and Mike Collins have reached double figures in both games, while Caden Hinker, Filip Radakovic, M.J. Wardlow and Marko Ljubicic struck for at least 10 in the first or second game. Radakovic, Wardlow and Jeremiah Jones have all recorded at least one double-figure rebounding effort just two games into the season.
 
Just Plain Offensive
Lamar's offense has jumped out to a quick start this season. Just two games in, Lamar is one of two league school's averaging better than 100 points per game. The Cardinals head into Wednesday's non-conference contest averaging 102.5 points per game. It's a similar story on the other end of the floor as the Cardinals are also the Southland's second-best rebounding team pulling down 48 per game through the first two contests.