Lamar sports information

BEAUMONT — Fresh off its thrilling overtime victory over one of the Southland Conference co-leaders (Sam Houston State), Lamar’s men’s basketball team will turn its attention to another co-leader in Nicholls State.

Off to their best start since 1998, Nicholls heads to Beaumont with a 12-8 (.600) overall record and tied for first in the Southland standings with a 6-1 (.857) mark.

The Colonels enter the week tied with Southeastern Louisiana, which has identical 12-8, 6-1 SLC records, and are just a half game up on Stephen F. Austin (16-3, 5-1 SLC). Nicholls has won four straight and six of its last seven with the only setback coming at SFA, 81-64, on Jan. 3.

After falling from the top of the league standings to ninth over the course of three games, the Cardinals have rebounded and climbed two spots in the standings during its minor two-game win streak. LU has now won four of its last seven games and is in a two-way tie for seventh with rivals McNeese. The Red and White sit just a half game back of Abilene Christian and two back of the league leaders.

History in on the Cardinals side in the series, having posted a 26-10 (.722) all-time record against the Colonels, including four consecutive. The Cards’ current four-game win streak comes on the heels of four straight victories by the Colonels – which was Nicholls’ longest win streak in series history. Beaumont has been especially tough on the Colonels as Big Red has won 17 of the 20 meetings (.850) in the Golden Triangle.

Wednesday’s battle will pit the league’s top scoring offense against one of the Southland’s top defenses. The Colonels enter the week averaging better than 86 points per game, while LU is one of the just three schools surrendering fewer than 70 points per game (68.7) to opponents.

The Cardinals will be looking for a 40-minute performance similar to how they closed the game against Sam Houston State. After scoring just 17 points in the opening half and falling behind by 18 points, the Cardinals rallied from a 15-point halftime deficit to defeat the Bearkats in overtime. The victory – LU’s second-straight overtime win over Sam Houston in Beaumont – saw the Cardinals shoot nearly 59 percent from the field and score 51 points in the second half to tie the game. Big Red kept up the pressure in the overtime outscoring Sam Houston, 16-9, in the final five minutes.

Junior Nick Garth was one of four Cardinals in double figures netting a career-high 29 points. He was named Southland Conference Player of the Week for his efforts in the Cards’ two previous games.

Nicholls has three players averaging in double figures, led by one of the best one-two punches in the league. Roddy Peters leads the squad averaging 18.3 points per game, while Tevon Saddler is averaging 16.4 per game.

LU’s coaching staff will wear sneakers during the game as part of the annual Suits and Sneakers promotion in college basketball. Suits and Sneakers is part of the Coaches vs. Cancer promotion to help raise cancer awareness.

The game is slated to tip off at 7 p.m. from Montagne Center. It can be heard live on Newstalk 560 KLVI, and seen live on ESPN3.