Lamar guard Chris Pryor goes up for a contested basket against New Orleans University, in the Neches Arena at the Montagne Center, Jan. 29. UP photo by Brian Quijada
The Lamar men’s basket- ball team has already secured their best record since the 2019-20 season with a 12-10 overall record, 6-3 in the Southland Conference. LU have won three more games than last season with 10 games left in the regular season.
Before the start of the season, the Cardinals were projected to finish ninth in the SLC having placed 10th the season prior. The men’s basketball team haven't made the conference playoffs since the 2020-21 season, when they lost in the semifinals to Abilene Christian University.
Since the Montagne Center changed its name to the Neches Federal Credit Union Arena, the Cards have lost only once and won nine games at home. Unfortunately, the Cards have struggled in away games, going 1-9 overall.
The Cardinals won back-to- back homes games, defeating SLC pre-season favorites Southeastern Louisiana 74-64, Jan. 27, before blowing out New Orleans, 98-73, Jan. 29. The New Orleans game saw both B.B. Knight and Errol White score career highs in points.
Senior guard Chris Pryor leads the Cardinals in points and assists, averaging 12.3 points per game and 3.6 assists per game. LU center Adam Hamilton leads the team rebounds with 7.1 per game. Lamar sees four players averaging double digits in points per game.
LU leads the Southland Conference in scoring, averaging 80.6 points per game, and is the only Southland school to average at least 80 points per game. The Cardinals are tied for 30th nationally in bench scoring, with 28.15 points per game. They are tied for 46th nationally in scoring offense, 12th nationally in fastbreak points with 15.9 points per game, and 27th nationally in assists with 16.6 assists per game.
The Cardinals are one of the Southland Conference’s top three-point shooting teams. LU is currently second in the conference in three- point field-goal percentage, and are also second in averaging 8.3 three-pointers per game.
Lamar will continue to pursue the playoff push with four games at home and five away. The Cardinals next home game is Feb. 10, against Nicholls State University.