Preview: Stephen F. Austin at Lamar

BEAUMONT, Texas (Interstat) — A surging Stephen F. Austin team visits a Lamar squad seeking consistency in a Southland Conference men’s basketball matchup Saturday at the Montagne Center.

The Lumberjacks (16-3) enter with the league’s best overall record, having won seven of their last eight games. Their most recent outing was a 79-62 road victory at Nicholls State on Monday. Guard Keon Thompson, a key player to watch, scored 20 points in just 18 minutes in that win. Over his last eight games, Thompson is averaging 15.8 points and 4.1 assists, providing efficient offense for a team that has scored 85 or more points in three of its last five contests.

The home-standing Cardinals (10-9) have alternated wins and losses over their past six games. They are coming off an 89-76 defeat at New Orleans on Monday, despite a 26-point performance from forward Braden East. East, Lamar’s player to watch, has been a volatile scoring threat, posting games of 26, 23 and 12 points mixed with quieter outings of 10, 7 and 2 points in recent weeks.

Stephen F. Austin’s strong start has been built on both ends of the floor, with convincing non-conference wins over teams like Louisiana-Monroe and a 103-point outburst against Dallas. Their lone conference loss was a narrow 66-64 defeat at McNeese State on Jan. 5.

Lamar has shown flashes, including a 90-80 win at Nicholls State and a 13-point home victory over Incarnate Word this month, but has struggled to string wins together. Defense may be a concern after allowing 89 points in their last game.

This contest is the first of a regular-season home-and-home series between the teams, who will meet again in Nacogdoches on Feb. 7.

The game tips off at 4:30 p.m. CST Saturday.