THIBODAUX, La. (Interstat) — A pivotal Southland Conference clash between teams trending in opposite directions is set for Saturday when the Lamar Cardinals visit the Nicholls State Colonels at Stopher Gym.

Lamar (9-8, 2-2 Southland) enters with momentum from back-to-back league wins, most recently a 64-56 victory over Houston Christian on Monday. The Cardinals are powered by the hot hand of guard Rob Lee, who erupted for a career-high 31 points in that contest. Over his last seven games, Lee is averaging 15.7 points, including three performances of 19 points or more. His scoring surge has been vital for a Lamar squad that has won four of its last six.

Nicholls State (8-9, 3-1), however, looks to rebound from a deflating 94-68 road loss to McNeese State on Monday, which snapped a five-game winning streak. The Colonels had been one of the conference’s early surprises, starting 3-0 in league play. Guard Trae English has been a steady facilitator for Nicholls, averaging 7.2 points and 4.0 assists per game this season. In the win over New Orleans on Jan. 10, he dished out seven assists.

The matchup features two teams with nearly identical overall records but contrasting conference fortunes. Nicholls State will rely on its home-court advantage, where it is 5-2 this season, to regain its footing. Lamar, meanwhile, aims to continue its rise and secure a winning record overall.

Defensively, Lamar will need to contain a balanced Nicholls attack that saw Christian Winborne score 17 points and Zee Hamoda add 11 in the loss to McNeese. For the Colonels, slowing down Lee will be the primary objective after his recent offensive explosion.

Saturday’s result will provide crucial positioning in the tightly contested Southland standings as the conference schedule nears its midpoint. Tipoff is set for 4:30 p.m. CST.