CHARLOTTE, N.C. — CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Lamar University will take a break from play in the NIT Season Tip-Off to travel to Charlotte for a 6:30 p.m. men’s basketball contest against the 49ers from Halton Arena.

 The Cardinals (0-2) opened the year Monday at the NIT Midwest Regional with a 79-55 loss to host Kansas State and then fell 74-59 to North Texas in the consolation game. Lamar will continue play in the NIT starting with a 6 p.m. contest at Virginia on Nov. 19.

 This will be just the third meeting between the two schools, with the series tied at a win apiece. The 49ers won the first contest 91-86 at the Roadrunner Classic in Las Cruces, N.M., on Dec. 10, 1976. In more recent history, Lamar won 72-54 in the Montagne Center last season.

 Last year’s meeting saw LU’s Charlie Harper register 22 points and a career-high 18 rebounds en route to the victory. The Cardinals outrebounded the 49ers 52-28 and limited the visitors to 32.8 percent shooting for the game.

 Guard Anthony Miles added 20 points in the game, while the only five Cardinals still on the team combined for eight points. Redshirt junior Osas Ebomwonyi did finish with eight boards and a career-high six blocked shots in the game.

 Derrio Green led Charlotte with 19 points and K.J. Sherrill added 11.

 The Cardinals, who have just five returning letterwinners on this year’s team, are averaging 57.0 points per game on 43.0 percent shooting through their first two contests. LU has struggled with turnovers, coughing it up nearly 25 times per game.

 Redshirt freshman Rhon Mitchell has put up 14.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game through the Cardinals’ first two outings. Senior guard Donley Minor is the Cards’ other double-figure scorer at 13.5 points per game on 56.3 percent shooting. Minor is also a healthy 5-of-8 from 3-point range on the season.

 Freshman guard Donnell Minton is coming off an impressive 15-point effort against North Texas. Minton leads the Cards with eight assists and has pulled down three rebounds per game.

 The 49ers bring an unblemished 2-0 record into the contest with home wins over Charleston Southern (68-58) and Georgia Southern (66-53). Charlotte’s two opponents managed just 31.5 percent shooting from the field and the 49ers are grabbing nearly nine rebounds per game more than their opponents.