The men’s basketball season is underway, and the team is looking to make huge strides from last year, when they finished as runners-up in the Southland Conference.
The team has championship aspirations under fifth year Coach Alvin Brooks.
The Cards finished the 2024-’25 season with a 20-13 record before losing the SLC tournament final. Some preseason predictions have them fighting for the conference crown again. Coach Brooks said that it’s a testament to how far the program has come.
“We’ve come a long way from where we were several years ago where we were picked at the bottom,” he said. “We are now considered to be a good program because we won 20 games last year, got to the conference championship game — and the year before, we won 19 games and (reached) the semi-finals. It is motivating for us to have an opportunity to compete for the conference championship, but the preseason predictions make no difference.
“Whether you are picked first or picked ninth, it has no impact on how you actually play. The motivation for us is to continue to get better as a program and improve and try to play to the level of basketball we were at last season.”
Back-to-back SLC champion McNeese State was all the buzz at the NCAA tournament last season beating Clemson in the first round. But they look different this year as their star coach, Will Wade, left for NC State. Even so, Brooks said the Cowboys are SLC favorites.
“The conference tournament will be held in Lake Charles at McNeese, so that clearly gives them an advantage over most of the other Southland Conference competition because they can play in front of their home crowd,” he said. “We’re looking forward to just getting off to a good start. We have a tough non-conference schedule that should prepare us for conference play.”
Brooks said that the Cardinals’ culture is a major reason why they will compete for top spot. It is also a major reason why players are buying into the program and not transferring in NIL and transfer portal environment, Brooks said.
“I think it says that our culture and staff have built an environment to make guys comfortable here and understanding that we are developing them to reach their goals,” he said. “It also speaks to our administration and how they’ve supported us, that our student athletes feel comfortable and taken care of to return to Lamar University.”
However, even with the support, players transferring is just a factor in the sport, Brooks said.
“You’re going to lose guys, that’s just going to happen,” he said. “We’ve had guys hit the portal every year, but we’ve also gotten better every year. Our retention rate is great, and that gives you the chance to have some continuity.”
The Cards lost one of their leaders, Adam Hamilton, as his eligibility was up, but Coach Brooks said it gives others an opportunity to step up.
“Leadership now has to come from our seniors, Cody Pennebaker, Andrew Holifield and Errol White,” Brooks said. “They’re going to have to step up and lead us. Within our core group that returns, we have several guys that have started games the last couple of years. That’s the beauty once you build a program and create a culture.”
The team opened their season with a 90-49 exhibition win over Mary-Hardin Baylor University, Oct. 29. The Cardinals beat Texas A&M-San Antonio at home, 93-53, before losing 78-65 at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth.
“Regardless of when we play, we need to be ready to play,” Brooks said. “Most importantly, when we play in the Montagne, we need to be ready to protect home court and play our absolute best.”
The Cardinals will be featured on CBS twice this year for nationally televised games against Nicholls State and McNeese State, which Coach Brooks said is huge news for the program.
“I’m just so honored and grateful that (CBS) feel like we play quality basketball and that we’re competitive enough,” he said. “Even though we’re losing some guys, they think the program is trending in the right direction.”
Brooks said having a good home crowd makes all the difference in the world.
“It makes us significantly better,” he said “That’s like our sixth man. Our best outings have been when the student body and the community rally around the team and provide so much energy.”
The Cardinals have not won the Southland Conference championship or made the NCAA tournament since 2012. Brooks, who played in the NCAA tournament for Lamar in 1984 and ’85, said it would mean everything to finally get over the hump.
“Having an opportunity to get to the tournament would be huge, because then we would have come full circle as a program,” he said. “We went to the Sweet 16 my junior year and went to the second round of the tournament my senior year. The last time Lamar basketball had back-to-back 20-win seasons was in ’84 and ’85, and we have an opportunity to do that for the first time in 40 years.”
Next up for the Cardinals is the Blaine Taylor Classic in Missoula, Montana. The Cards return home to the Neches Federal Credit Union Arena at the Montagne Center, Nov. 29, against Our Lady of the Lake at 6 p.m.