Lamar sports information

BEAUMONT – The Lamar Cardinals look to extend their impressive winning streak at the Montagne Center to 23 games when they host the archrival McNeese State Cowgirls in a Southland Conference women’s basketball game at 2 p.m. Saturday.

 The Cardinals (12-6 overall, 7-1 Southland) are 7-0 at home this season, outscoring their opponent by an average of 44.3 points per game this season. Meanwhile, McNeese (8-10, 4-3) is 3-0 in conference road games this season.

 “We know that McNeese is always a tough opponent,” LU coach Robin Harmony said. “They’re a good rebounding team. We have to be ready.”

The Cardinals enter the weekend in second place in the Southland Conference, just a half-game behind Stephen F. Austin, which is 7-0 in Southland play. LU is a half-game ahead of Central Arkansas and Abilene Christian, who are tied for third in the conference at 7-2.

Saturday’s contest opens a four-game homestand, the longest of the season, for the Cardinals. Abilene Christian comes to LU at 7 p.m. Wednesday. SFA provides the opposition at 2 p.m. Feb. 3 before the homestand closes with a contest against Northwestern State at 7 p.m. Feb. 7.

“We have established a culture of winning at home, and we want to extend that streak,” Harmony said. “We love playing in front of our fans.”

Moe Kinard leads LU in scoring, averaging 16.9 points per game. Kinard is coming off a 28-point performance in Wednesday’s 76-61 win at Nicholls. Kinard is averaging 18.6 ppg in Southland games. Chastadie Barrs averages 13.0 points per game for LU, while leading the nation in steals (6.61 per game) and the Southland Conference in assists (6.2 per game). The two-time Southland Conference defensive player of the year has at least one steal in all 79 games of her career.

DeA’ngela Mathis has 10.7 points per game overall for LU, including a 16.0 ppg average in conference play.

The Cowgirls, who bring a two-game winning streak into Saturday’s clash, are led by Caitlin Davis, who averages 11.4 ppg overall and 12.9 ppg in conference play. McNeese leads the conference with an average of 43.28 rebounds per game.

McNeese leads the overall series 43-30, but LU swept the season series last year, posting a 79-57 win at the Montagne Center and an 83-67 victory at McNeese’s Burton Coliseum.

Saturday’s game is the opener of a hoops doubleheader at the Montagne Center, with the men’s game between the Cardinals and Cowboys scheduled for a 4:30 p.m. tipoff. Both games can be heard on KLVI-AM 560 and will be video streamed online by ESPN3.

PROMOTIONS: Saturday is Campers Reunion Day, with all youths who attended one of LU’s basketball camps this past summer receiving a free general admission ticket when they wear their camp T-shirt to the game. In addition, Saturday is LU Alumni Reunion Day.

BANNER DAY: LU will honor three former greats at halftime of the Feb. 3 game vs. Stephen F. Austin as Carolyn Ford, Kalis Loyd and Carol Sims will have their jerseys retired during a banner-raising ceremony. All three will be on hand for the event.