BEAUMONT, Texas – With just five games remaining on the 2025-26 regular season schedule, the Lamar University Cardinals are looking to right the ship and put an end to a three-game slide. Unfortunately for Big Red, the schedule makers have the Cardinals attempting to do that while on one of the league's toughest road trips at one of the toughest venues. The Cardinals will be in Edinburg, Texas Monday to take on the recently surging UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros.
 
The Cardinals (12-14/7-10 SLC) are currently alone in seventh place in the conference standings a game back of sixth-place New Orleans and 3.0 back of UTRGV. The Cardinals do have a game lead on the eighth final playoff spot for next month's conference tournament.
 
While the Cardinals look to put an end to a three-game slide in a city that has been tough on the Red and White over the years, UTRGV had its eight-game win streak snapped Saturday by Stephen F. Austin. During the streak, the Vaqueros managed to climb into third place in the standings within striking distance of the leaders.
 
UTRGV has had the upper hand in the series when the two teams meet in Edinburg (14-23/.378) but the Cardinals lead the all-time series, 44-36 (.550) and swept the season series last year.
 
Monday's contest will tip off at 6:30 p.m. from the UTRGV Fieldhouse and will be streamed live on ESPN+.
   
LU vs. the Vaqueros
Lamar University has an eight-game lead in the series with UT Rio Grande Valley, 44-36 (.550). The series turns heavily in favor of the Vaqueros when the two schools meet in Edinburg, 14-23 (.378). Big Red appeared to be flipping the script last season sweeping the season series to stop a four-game skid but the Vaqueros responded with a nine-point victory in Beaumont back in December. The series between the two teams dates back to the 1965-66 season.
 
A bEAST on the Boards
Despite not reaching double-figure rebounds for the first time in the team's last eight games, Houston native Braden East has dominated the Southland in rebounds during the 2025-26 season. He has recorded double-figure rebounds in 14 games this year. He currently leads the Southland averaging 9.1 rebounds per game and is second in the league pulling down 2.9 offensive rebounds per game.
 
Double-Double Vision
Sophomore Braden East's run of consecutive games with a double-double came to an end Saturday at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, missing the mark by just three rebounds. Despite not reaching the feat in his eighth consecutive game, East still leads the Southland Conference with 12 double-doubles and ranks among the nation's top 20 in that category.
 
Century Mark
Senior Andrew Holifield reached a career milestone Saturday at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. He recorded four blocks in the game but it was his second of the day that made him the fifth Cardinal all-time to record 100 swats for his career. This coming in less than two full seasons with the team. He is currently just three blocks back of a former Cardinal Thomas Fairley (105) for fourth place. Holifield has recorded 10 games of at least three blocks this season and four games with four, but Saturday marked the first time he had recorded four swats in a game since Jan. 12th against Houston Christian.
 
Enter the Cardinal
Junior Rob Lee Jr. had been on a torrid pace for the Cardinals hitting the 20-point plateau in three straight games, but since that time he had consecutive games of missing the 20-point mark (but one of those was an 18-point outing against Northwestern State). Lee recorded his 10th 20-point outing of the season when he led Lamar with 24 points at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Making a play for Southland Newcomer of the Year honors, Lee currently leads the team and is tied for fifth in the league averaging 16.6 points 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 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 also 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 Team selections, two freshmen of the year and a defensive player of the year.