BEAUMONT — Lamar Cardinals men’s basketball coach Pat Knight has released a

2013-14 schedule highlighted by 12 home contests and two games carried on ESPN3. The Cardinals

will also be logging the frequent flyer miles this season playing games on both

coasts.

“I think we’re a lot smarter with our schedule this year,” said Knight.

“Obviously, we didn’t have as much control over last year’s schedule as we

did this year. Playing 11 consecutive road games, like we did last season, is

tough on anyone.

“I want to take this program to the next level, and I don’t like playing

non-Division I one schools because I don’t think you gain much from those

games. This is a challenging schedule but you have to play those games if you

are going to get to the next level,” added Knight.

In addition to the daunting travel schedule ahead, Lamar will also face four

schools that competed in the 2013 NCAA Basketball Championships. Those teams

include Butler, LIU Brooklyn, Colorado State and Northwestern State.

Lamar will tipoff the season Saturday, Nov. 9 at Butler, before returning home

three nights later for the home opener against George Mason. The Cardinals will

then prepare for one of their longest trips of the season when they travel to

Pullman, Wash., to take on the Cougars (Nov. 16th).

The Cardinals will remain on the road to compete in the Global Sports Showcase

in Salt Lake City, Utah. Hosted by the University of Utah, the Cardinals will

play three games in as many days, opening against Savannah State Thursday, Nov.

21. Lamar will face Utah the following day, before closing out the showcase

against Grand Canyon.

LU will return from Utah for one of the longest home stretches of the season.

The Cards close out November with two games in the month’s final

week. Lamar hosts Texas-Pan American on the 27th, and Arkansas State (Dec.

30th), but won’t play its first game in December until the 15th when

hosting Tennessee Tech.

Following the three-game homestand, the Cardinals hit the road for a

season-long five-game stretch that will cover the opening of Southland

Conference play. The road swing consists of games at LIU Brooklyn (Dec.

18th), Canisius (Dec. 21) and at Colorado State (Dec. 28) to close out the

non-conference portion of the schedule.

The Cardinals open the New Year, and close out the road swing, with

Southland tilts at Stephen F. Austin (Jan. 2) and Northwestern State (Jan. 4).

Lamar’s conference home-opener will be Saturday, Jan. 9 against Nicholls

State.

LU will have another three-game homestand late in the conference schedule. The

Cardinals bring SFA to town Thursday, Feb. 13th followed by Northwestern

State two days later. The three-game homestand  concludes with Sam Houston

State Saturday, Feb. 22.

The SLC Championship Tournament is slated for the week of March 12th, in Katy.