The Cajuns have won the last two meetings, including a 68-65 win last year in the Cajundome, to pull ahead 41-40 in the series. Lamar leads the all-time series in Beaumont by a 30-10 margin, although the Cajuns won 68-60 the last time the two met here on Dec. 19, 2009.
Louisiana is coming off a 78-56 win over McNeese State Thursday night in the Cajun Dome to stand at 4-5 on the season.
Louisiana is averaging 71.2 points per game and allowing 69.0. The Cajuns are shooting a solid 45.7 percent from the field, but just 64.1 percent from the free throw line.
Junior center Kadeem Coleby has started all nine games and leads the team in scoring at 11.9 points per game. Coleby is shooting a torrid 58.9 percent from the floor, and also leads the team with 20 blocked shots.
Louisiana Starting Lineup
#21 Darshawn McClellan-- F 6-7 240 Sr. 9.2 pts., 5.4 rebs, 2.0 asst
#23 Kadeem Coleby-- C 6-9 250 Jr. 11.9 pts., 4.3 rebs, 1.2 asst
#1 Josh Brown-- G 6-4 200 Sr. 8.3 pts., 5.0 rebs, 0.9 asst
#2 Elfrid Payton-- G 6-3 165 Fr. 8.0 pts., 3.2 rebs, 2.6 asst
#22 Raymone Andrews-- G 6-2 180 Jr. 4.3 pts., 2.0 rebs, 3.0 asst
Lamar had its three-game winning streak snapped at TCU on Wednesday night by a 77-72 score, and bring a 4-3 record into Saturday's game.
Following Lamar's contest with TCU, the Cardinals are now averaging 71.4 points per game and giving up 68.6. While the Cardinals are shooting just 40.3 percent from the field on the year, they are the 31st best free throw shooting team in the nation at 74.9 percent.
Senior Charlie Harper led Lamar with 15 points and 11 rebounds for his only double-double of the season. Fellow senior Anthony Miles added 12 points and six rebounds, while Coy Custer and Devon Lamb combined for 19 points and 14 rebounds off the bench.
Lamar Starting Lineup
# 2 Nikko Acosta-- F 6-9 220 Jr. 1.6 pts., 1.3 rebs, 1.1 blocks
#21 Charlie Harper-- F 6-5 210 Sr. 14.3 pts., 9.1 rebs.
#1 Anthony Miles-- G 6-1 165 Sr. 17.1 pts., 5.0 rebs, 4.1 asst
#4 Devon Lamb-- G 6-2 195 Sr. 11.9 pts., 8.0 rebs, 1.4 steals
#22 Donley Minor-- G 6-1 175 Jr. 2.6 pts., 1.6 rebs.
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