L, 66-63 Game 7 • Dec. 19, 2020 • 1 pm vs. Southern Mississippi at Louisiana Tech Beaumont, Texas Ruston, La. Montagne Center Thomas Assembly Center TV: ESPN+ • Radio: KLVI AM 560 TV: C-USA • Radio: None 2020-21 Schedule/Results Big Red Travels to Ruston to Face Bulldogs (1-5/0-0 SLC) Lamar University’s attempt at a second-straight come-from-behind victory came up just a bit short, as the Cardinals dropped their home opener against Southern Mississippi, November 66-63, Tuesday evening. The Cards (1-5) will now have to put that game in the rearview 25 at #17 Houston L, 89-45 mirror as they travel to Ruston, La., to face Louisiana Tech Saturday. The Bulldogs are 27 at Tulane L, 66-57 5-2 (.714) on the season, but have split their past four games. Louisiana Tech is coming 28 vs. Lipscomb! L, 76-73 off a 27-point victory over Jackson State Tuesday in Ruston. Saturday’s contest will tip off at 1 p.m. from the Thomas Assembly Center. The game will be broadcast live on the December Conference USA streaming service (conferenceUSA.com/watch). 5 at Air Force L, 59-44 9 at UL Monroe W, 63-60 LU vs. The Bulldogs 15 Southern Mississippi~ L, 66-63 Louisiana Tech becomes the second former Southland Conference team – and one of 19 at Louisiana Tech 1 p.m. three – LU will face this season. The Cardinals trail the all-time series against Louisiana 22 at UTSA 6 p.m. Tech, 30-32 (.484), a mark that includes 9-20 (.310) record in Ruston. The game against 29 Southeastern Louisiana~ 7 p.m. the Bulldogs will be the first since the 2006-07 season, and just the second since 1998. January Defending the Nest 2 at Abilene Christian* 3 p.m LU has made the Montagne Center one of the toughest venues for opponents to play 6 at Nicholls* 7 p.m. over the course of its 30-plus year history. The Cards are 349-169 (.675) all-time in the 9 Houston Baptist*~ 2 p.m. Montagne Center. LU recorded a program-best 15 home wins in the 1987-88 season and 13 at Sam Houston State* 6:30 p.m. was 10-5 (.667) at home last season. 16 A&M-Corpus Christi*~ 4:30 p.m. 20 UIW*~ 7 p.m. Winning Seasons 23 at Stephen F. Austin* TBA The Cardinals enter 2020-21 looking for their fifth consecutive winning season after 30 McNeese*~ 4:30 p.m. posting 19, 19, 20 and 17-win campaigns. It is the longest run of success for the Red and White since the 1982-83 through 1985-86 seasons - which was part of nine consecutive seasons that saw the Cardinals post above. 500 records (1977-78 through 1985-86). February 6 Abilene Christian*~ 4:30 p.m. 10 Nicholls*~ 7 p.m. Lamar University Probable Starters 13 at Houston Baptist* 7 p.m. No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl.-Exp. Hometown PPG RPG Other 3 Ellis Jefferson G 6-0 180 Sr.-1L San Antonio, Texas 7.5 2.5 4.2 apg 17 Sam Houston State*~ 7 p.m. 13 Davion Buster G 5-10 150 Jr.-2L Austin, Texas 17.5 3.0 2.0 spg 20 at A&M-Corpus Christi*~ 3:30 p.m. 11 Anderson Kopp G 6-6 205 So.-1L Houston, Texas 12.8 4.5 1.2 apg 24 at UIW* 7 p.m. 5 Avery Sullivan F/C 6-8 220 Sr.-3L Pflugerville, Texas 10.8 7.5 0.8 spg 0 David Muoka C 6-10 210 So.-1L Hong Kong 3.8 4.5 1.7 bpg 27 Stephen F. Austin*~ 4:30 p.m. Off the Bench March No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl.-Exp. Hometown PPG RPG Other 1 Quinlan Bennett G 6-3 205 Jr.-TR Chicago, Ill. 11.4 5.8 1.6 spg 6 at McNeese*~ TBA 2 Tarig Eisa F 6-8 210 Jr.-TR Toronto, Ont. --- --- --- 10-14 SLC Championships TBD 4 Kasen Harrison G 6-1 190 Fr.-HS Beaumont, Texas 6.7 2.3 4.7 apg 14 Corey Nickerson F 6-7 190 So.-1L Houston, Texas 0.3 3.5 0.3 bpg Home Games in Bold *SLC Game ~ESPN3/+ 15 Lincoln Smith F 6-5 210 Jr.-JR Columbus, Ga. 3.7 3.3 0.7 spg $SLC Championships 21 Ayaan Sohail G 6-3 185 So.-1L El Paso, Texas --- --- 0.3 apg 23 Mason Senigaur F 6-6 200 Jr.-TR Beaumont, Texas --- --- --- 25 Anthony Cameron F 6-8 270 Jr.-TR Chicago, Ill. --- --- --- Probable starters based on previous game’s starting lineup Lamar University Basketball Game Notes General Buster’s Buzzer Beater - SC Top 10 Moment School ................................................................Lamar University Trailing by as many as 13 points in the second half at UL Location ................................................................. Beaumont, TX Monroe, Big Red found itself fighting out of an early hole. After Founded..................................................................................1923 chipping away at the lead, LU had the ball with eight seconds Enrollment ...........................................................................15,460 remaining. LU called a timeout and got the ball in the hands of Nicknames .......................................................................Cardinals junior Davion Buster who buried a 40-foot jumper as time ex- Colors ........................................................................Red & White pired for the win. The play was worthy enough to be ranked No. Conference .....................................................................Southland 1 on ESPN’s SportsCenter’s Top 10 Plays. It was also Buster’s National Affiliation ............................................NCAA Division I first game of the season. He finished the night with 16 points (on President ......................................................Dr. Kenneth R. Evans 4-of-8 shooting beyond the arc), four rebounds and a steal. Director of Athletics ....................................................Marco Born Faculty Representative ........................................Dr. Robert Spina Picking Up Where He Left Off Sr. Woman Administrator ...........................................Helene Thill Junior Davion Buster was the team’s top returning scorer, aver- Athletics Department ............................................(409) 880-2248 aging nearly 15 points per game last season. Slow to get his sea- Ticket Office ..........................................................(409) 880-1715 son started, Buster has picked up right up where he left off last Coaching Staff year. The Austin native leads the team averaging 17.5 points per Head Coach ......................................Tic Price (Virginia Tech, 1979) game, and is tied for team-high honors with seven three-point Record at Lamar/Seasons ............................... 103-100/Fifth Season field goals. Buster needs just three more triples to move onto the Record at NCAA Division I ............................270-222/14th Season school’s all-time three-point field goals top-10 list. Office Phone ................................................................(409) 880-8301 Assistant Coach ...........................................................David Dumars 20 Minutes Late to the Party Assistant Coach .................................................... Brandon Chappell Assistant Coach .............................................................Joey Cantafio The past couple of games have been a tale of two halves for the Athletic Trainer ..........................................................Grace Harkness Cardinals. Big Red has struggled offensively to start the past two Team Information games, but is a completely different team in the second half. In the first half of the Cards last two games LU is shooting 17-of- 2019-20 Overall Record ..............................................................17-15 60 (.283). It’s a different story coming out of the locker room 2019-20 SLC Record/Finish .............................................10-10/T6th as the Cardinals have converted 27-of-56 (.482) attempts in the 2019-20 Home Record ..................................................................10-5 final 20 minutes of the past two games, including a 12-of-22 2019-20 Away Record ...................................................................6-10 (.545) effort Tuesday night against Southern Mississippi. 2019-20 Neutral Record .................................................................1-0 Starters Returning/Lost ..................................................................3/2 Letterwinners Returning/Lost .......................................................8/3 Need Assistance History Although Beaumont freshman Kasen Harrison has played in just three games this season, he is making his presence felt. Despite First Year of Basketball........................................................... 1951-52 having played in only three games, Harrison is currently second First Year as a Senior College ...................................................... 1951 on the team with 14 total assists – averaging better than four per First Year of Southland Basketball ....................................... 1963-64 game. In fact, Harrison has doubled his assist total each game All-Time Record .................................................................. 1,024-915 from is first night on the court. He dished out two at Air Force, All-Time Southland Record ..............................324-287/45 Seasons followed that up with four in the victory at UL Monroe and SLC Regular-Season Titles/Last ...............................................9/2008 dished out a career-high eight assists against Southern Missis- SLC Tournament Titles/Last ....................................................4/2012 sippi. NCAA Appearances (Division I)/Last ....................................6/2012 Arena Information Facility ......................................................................Montagne Center The Cardinal Rule Year Opened .................................................................................. 1984 LU has been one of the Southland’s more dominant teams. The Record Stadium .....................................................................