Preview: Lamar Cardinals at Houston Christian Huskies

HOUSTON (Interstat) — Two Southland Conference men’s basketball teams looking to halt late-season slides will meet Monday night when the Lamar Cardinals visit the Houston Christian Huskies at Sharp Gymnasium.

The matchup features squads with nearly identical records. Lamar enters at 12-18 overall, while Houston Christian sits at 11-19. Both teams are coming off double-digit losses in their most recent outings. The Cardinals fell 72-60 at Incarnate Word on Saturday, and the Huskies were defeated 77-56 by Stephen F. Austin at home the same day.

Lamar will rely on the scoring of guard Braden East, who has been a consistent offensive threat during a difficult stretch for the team. East is averaging 14.9 points over his last eight games, including a 33-point performance in a loss to Stephen F. Austin on Feb. 7. He scored 16 points in Saturday’s loss to Incarnate Word.

For Houston Christian, guard Trent Johnson has been a key facilitator. He dished out five assists in the loss to Stephen F. Austin and is averaging 3.0 assists per game over his last eight contests. His playmaking will be crucial for a Huskies offense that managed only 56 points in its last game.

The Cardinals won the previous meeting this season, defeating Houston Christian 64-56 in Beaumont on Jan. 12. Lamar has lost seven of its last eight games since a 73-54 win over Southeastern Louisiana on Feb. 2. Houston Christian has shown brief resilience, with narrow wins over New Orleans (61-60) and Nicholls State (72-68) this month, but has lost three of its last four.

Monday’s game represents one of the final opportunities for both programs to build momentum before the Southland Conference tournament. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CST at Sharp Gymnasium on the HCU campus.