Cards seek revenge vs. Cowboys in SLC tourney opener
The Lamar Men’s Basketball Team hit the road on Tuesday to travel to Katy for the Southland Conference Tournament. After a tough loss Saturday against McNeese 66-70, the Cards are looking for vengeance in the first round against the Cowboys.
“We didn’t play our best. McNeese played a very good basketball game,” said Head Coach Tic Price. “But now, everyone’s bracket is 0-0. There’s no free tomorrow [and] obviously playing McNeese will fuel our motivation.”
To beat the rivals across the border means more than just bragging rights. It is all about fighting to see another day of basketball for the 2019-2020 season.
“We want to survive and advance just like every other team in the tournament,” Price said. “It’s a parody. Any team could win the tournament. We understand that it is reserved for us just as much as it is for anybody else.”
Trying to make it to Saturday will consist of the Cardinals winning four games straight and for some Lamar players, the fight is worth it for their last conference tournament.
“I’m excited,” Beaumont senior T.J. Atwood said, who missed the SLC Tournament last year due to injury. “Tomorrow is not promised – it’s win or go home – take it one game at a time and see where it goes.”
There are excited seniors, however, there are eager freshmen who have never experienced the Merrell Center in Katy. So, the upperclassmen are ready to take on that role and lead the new blood to victory.
“We are just looking to lead and guide them,” Atwood said. “They can all play obviously, but at certain times they are going to do certain things. We wouldn’t be here without them or our coaches. We are in it all together as a team, credit to everybody.”
The team as a whole is eager for the conference tournament. They are all expecting to see Saturday and hopefully achieve their end goal of NCAA tournament play.
“We’re hungry. At the beginning of the year, Coach asked us what we wanted and all around the board we said we wanted to go to the NCAA Tournament,” San Antonio junior and 2019 transfer Ellis Jefferson said. “I think that’s the goal for everybody and we’re all set on achieving it.”
The Cardinal Basketball Team is hoping to see the stands filled with red this week.
They feed off energy that Cardinal Nation brings to their games.
“We have a great community here in Beaumont,” Price said. “Students have been great. We’ve looked up a couple of times and have had students travel on the road. We just hope they’ll come and support us. We need that voice.”
For updates about the Southland Conference Tournament, visit lamarcardinals.com or the Lamar University Press website.