Lamar Men's Basketball Game Notes at Nicholls State
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Feb. 28, 2007

THIBODAUX, La. - After having its four-game winning streak snapped at Northwestern State on Tuesday, Lamar University will have to regroup in a hurry as the Cardinals play a pivotal Southland Conference game at Nicholls State Thursday at Nicholls State. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. in Stopher Gym.

Lamar, who has won four of its last five games, is 13-15 overall and 7-7 in SLC play. The Cardinals are tied with McNeese State for third place in the SLC East Division standings. Lamar would secure a spot in the SLC Tournament with a win over the Colonels.

Northwestern State clinched the divisional title with Tuesday's win and has secured the No. 3-seed at the O'Reilly Auto Parts SLC Tournament March 8-11 at the Campbell Center in Houston. Southeastern Louisiana, who Lamar hosts Saturday, is in second place in the East standings at 8-6.

Nicholls State, who had its three-game win streak snapped in last Saturday's 70-66 loss to Central Arkansas, is 7-21 overall and 6-8 in SLC play. The Colonels are in fifth place in the East standings, one-game behind Lamar and McNeese State, and still very much alive for a spot in the eight-team postseason tournament.

This will be the 21st meeting between Lamar and Nicholls State with the Cardinals holding an 18-2 all-time series advantage. Lamar is 12-0 in games played in Beaumont, 5-2 in Thibodaux and 1-0 on a neutral court. The Cardinals won the earlier meeting this season, 89-82, on Feb. 1, 2007 in Beaumont. Lamar has won four straight and eight of the last nine meetings in the series.

Senior Brandon Chappell and junior Darren Hopkins both set career-high with 29 points and 26 points, respectively, in the previous meeting with Nicholls State. Lamar also set season-highs by shooting 59.3 percent from the field and a blistering 64 percent from 3-point range.

Junior James Davis leads Lamar in scoring at 15.7 points per game and is averaging 7.7 rpg. Junior Lamar Sanders, who recorded his ninth double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds at Northwestern State, leads the team and the SLC in rebounding at 9.8 rpg. Hopkins is second on the team in scoring at 13.9 ppg.

Lamar is averaging 72.5 ppg and is shooting 43 percent from the field, 38.6 percent from 3-point range and 63.6 percent from the free throw line. The Cardinals have a minus-2.2 scoring margin, a plus-0.4 rebound margin and a minus-2.36 turnover margin.

Stefan Blaszczynski leads Nicholls and the SLC in scoring at 18.7 ppg. He also leads the team in rebounding at 7.0 rpg. Adonis Gray is second on the team in scoring at 13.9 ppg and Ryan Bathie, who scored a career-high 25 points in the previous meeting with the Cardinals, is averaging 12.1 ppg.

Nicholls is averaging 70.1 ppg and is shooting 42.3 percent from the field, 32.3 percent from 3-point range and 74.4 percent from the free throw line, which leads the SLC. The Colonels have a minus-10.6 scoring margin, a minus-5.8 rebound margin and a minus-1.71 turnover margin.