Lamar sports information

BEAUMONT – For the second time in as many years, the Lamar men’s basketball team makes an appearance in the postseason as one of 20 teams selected to play in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament (CIT). Also, for the second consecutive season, the Cardinals will face a former Southland Conference opponent in the opening round when they step on the court Wednesday to take on UTSA.

The Cardinals (19-13) make their way into the postseason after finishing the 2017-18 campaign tied for fifth in the Southland Conference standings. After winning four straight and six of their last seven games, the Cards now enter the CIT looking to right the ship after dropping their past two contests.

The Roadrunners (19-14) make their way into the CIT after having won 19 games during the 2017-18 campaign. UTSA finished fifth in the Conference USA standings with an 11-7 (.611) record. The Roadrunners won nine of their last 12 before getting eliminated from the Conference USA tournament in the second round by Marshall.

The Cardinals are making their 12th appearance in the postseason, and their second in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament (CIT). It marks the second consecutive season LU has qualified for the CIT.

LU has a rich history of advancing to the postseason. The Cardinals have made six appearances in the NCAA Championships, with the last appearance coming in 2012. The Cardinals have also made four trips to the NIT, with the last appearance coming in 1986. Big Red is 5-6 (.455) all-time in the NCAA Championships, 2-4 (.333) in the NIT and 0-1 in the CIT.

The Cardinals traveled to San Marcos to face Texas State in the opening round of the CIT last season. Big Red struggled offensively in that game dropping a 70-60 decision in Strahan Coliseum.

A former Southland Conference member, the Cardinals have a long history against UTSA. The Cardinals lead the all-time series, 19-14 (.576), over UTSA and have won two straight and three of the past five meetings. The Cardinals are a game over .500 all-time against UTSA in San Antonio (9-8, .529). Wednesday’s meeting will be the first between the two schools since the 2016-17 season when the Red and White recorded a 20-point victory, 78-58, in Beaumont. Wednesday’s game will be the first between the two schools in San Antonio since the 2010-11 season.

The Cardinals are two games over .500 on the road this season, 8-6 (.517), while UTSA is 11-3 (.786) in the Convocation Center. For the Red and White, Wednesday’s game marks the fifth straight away from Beaumont for the Cardinals.

The Cardinals enter the contest with another shot and locking up a 20-win season. LU has equaled its win total from last year, but heads to San Antonio looking for its first 20-win campaign since the 2011-12 season.

Wednesday’s game is slated to tip off at 7 p.m. from the Convocation Center in San Antonio. The game can also be heard live on Newstalk 560 KLVI.