# 2023–24 Lamar Cardinals basketball team

The 2023–24 Lamar Cardinals basketball team represented Lamar University during the 2023–24 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Cardinals were led by third-year head coach Alvin Brooks and played their home games at the Neches Federal Credit Union Arena at the Montagne Center in Beaumont, Texas. They finished the season 19–14 overall and 12–6 in Southland Conference play for a fourth-place conference finish. As the fourth-seeded team, the Cardinals were 1–1 in the SLC tournament defeating eighth-seeded New Orleans 71–57 and losing to top-seeded McNeese 57–76 in the semifinal round.

## Previous season

The Cardinals finished the 2022–23 season 9–22 overall and 5–13 in Southland Conference play to finish last in the conference. The Cardinals failed to qualify for the SLC tournament.

## Offseason
### Incoming transfers

Lamar incoming transfers :
| Name | Number | Pos. | Height | Weight | Year | Hometown | Previous school |
| Ja'Sean Jackson | 11 | G | 6' 0" | 170 | Junior | San Antonio, TX | Abilene Christian |
| B.B. Knight | 8 | G | 6' 6" | 189 | Sophomore | Katy, TX | Tulsa |
| Errol White | 10 | F | 6' 7" | 205 | Junior | Queens, NY | Eastern New Mexico |
Source:

### Incoming recruits

Lamar incoming recruits :
| Name | Number | Pos. | Height | Weight | Year | Hometown | Previous school |
| Jayden Barrs | 2 | G | 6' 1" | 190 | Freshman | Manor, TX | Manor High School |
| Aleksa Lekic | 15 | C | 6' 10" | 195 | Freshman | Montenegro | KK Buducnost VOLI |
| Javon Murray | 33 | F | 6' 4" | 225 | Freshman | League City, TX | Clear Falls High School |
Source:

## Preseason polls
### Southland Conference Poll

The Southland Conference released its preseason poll on October 10, 2023. Receiving 45 votes overall, the Cardinals were picked to finish ninth in the conference.
| Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
| 1 | Southeastern | 144 (6) |
| 2 | McNeese | 142 (6) |
| 3 | New Orleans | 132 (3) |
| 4 | Texas A&M–Corpus Christi | 124 (5) |
| 5 | Northwestern State | 84 |
| 6 | Nicholls | 71 |
| 7 | Texas A&M–Commerce | 66 |
| 8 | Houston Christian | 50 |
| 9 | Lamar | 45 |
| 10 | Incarnate Word | 42 |

### Preseason All Conference

No Cardinals were selected as members of a preseason all-conference team.

## Schedule and results

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Site (attendance) city, state |
| Exhibition |||||||||
| November 1, 2023* 7:00 p.m., – | | St. Thomas (TX) | W 71–70 $^{OT}$ | – | – | – | – | Neches Arena Beaumont, TX |
| Non-conference regular season |||||||||
| November 6, 2023* 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Jarvis Christian | W 114–66 | 1–0 | 19 – B.B. Knight | 9 – tied (2) | 5 – T. Anderson | Neches Arena (1,617) Beaumont, TX |
| November 9, 2023* 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at SMU | L 67–78 | 1–1 | 13 – C. Pennebaker | 7 – C. Pennebaker | 3 – tied (4) | Moody Coliseum (4,057) Dallas, TX |
| November 14, 2023* 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | UTSA | W 90–82 | 2–1 | 20 – T. Anderson | 14 – A. Hamilton | 5 – J. Jackson | Neches Arena (3,264) Beaumont, TX |
| November 18, 2023* 4:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Pacific | L 76–77 | 2–2 | 22 – C. Pennebaker | 12 – A. Hamilton | 4 – tied (3) | Alex G. Spanos Center (391) Stockton, CA |
| November 24, 2023 5:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | vs. Bethune–Cookman Longwood MTE | W 83–65 | 3–2 | 19 – C. Pryor | 11 – T. Anderson | 3 – C. Pryor | Joan Perry Brock Center (205) Farmville, VA |
| November 25, 2023 2:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Longwood Longwood MTE | L 72–83 | 3–3 | 21 – B. Knight | 9 – J. Bulajic | 4 – J. Buckley | Joan Perry Brock Center (100) Farmville, VA |
| November 26, 2023 12:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Delaware State Longwood MTE | W 84–81 $^{OT}$ | 4–3 | 18 – T. Anderson | 10 – A. Hamilton | 4 – A. Hamilron | Joan Perry Brock Center (427) Farmville, VA |
| November 30, 2023* 8:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at UTSA | L 83–86 | 4–4 | 17 – T. Anderson | 10 – A. Hamilton | 4 – C. Pryor | Convocation Center (1,535) San Antonio, TX |
| December 3, 2023* 5:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Sam Houston | L 70–90 | 4–5 | 13 – A. Hamilton | 6 – J. Bulajic | 5 – C. Pryor | Bernard Johnson Coliseum (794) Huntsville, TX |
| December 14, 2023* 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Louisiana–Monroe | W 97–73 | 5–5 | 19 – B. Knight | 8 – C. Pryor | 6 – C. Pryor | Neches Arena (1,014) Beaumont, TX |
| December 18, 2023* 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Southern Miss | L 79–82 | 5–6 | 16 – tied (2) | 7 – A. Hamilton | 7 – J. Buckley | Neches Arena (1,122) Beaumont, TX |
| December 21, 2023* 8:00 p.m., SECN | | at LSU | L 66–87 | 5–7 | 14 – J. Jackson | 7 – A. Hamilton | 3 – C. Pryor | Pete Maravich Assembly Center (7,388) Baton Rouge, LA |
| December 30, 2023* 6:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Paul Quinn | W 91–64 | 6–7 | 15 – tied (2) | 12 – J. Bulajic | 5 – J. Buckley | Neches Arena (1,233) Beaumont, TX |
| Southland regular season |||||||||
| January 6, 2024 6:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Northwestern State | W 90–70 | 7–7 (1–0) | 18 – A. Hamilton | 12 – A. Hamilton | 7 – C. Pryor | Neches Arena (2,768) Beaumont, TX |
| January 8, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Incarnate Word | W 75–59 | 8–7 (2–0) | 19 – B. Knight | 9 – A. Hamilton | 5 – T. Anderson | Neches Arena (781) Beaumont, TX |
| January 13, 2024 3:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Nicholls | W 78–76 $^{OT}$ | 9–7 (3–0) | 25 – T. Anderson | 6 – C. Pennebaker | 6 – C. Pryor | Stopher Gymnasium (800) Thibodaux, LA |
| January 15, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at McNeese Battle of the Border (rivalry) | L 69–88 | 9–8 (3–1) | 19 – C. Pryor | 8 – T. Anderson | 4 – C. Pryor | The Legacy Center (3,487) Lake Charles, LA |
| January 20, 2024 3:30 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Houston Christian | L 77–78 | 9–9 (3–2) | 18 – C. Pryor | 8 – A. Hamilton | 5 – T. Anderson | Sharp Gymnasium (500) Houston, TX |
| January 22, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Texas A&M–Commerce | W 76–65 | 10–9 (4–2) | 18 – tied (2) | 14 – T. Anderson | 3 – tied (2) | Neches Arena (1,454) Beaumont, TX |
| January 27, 2024 6:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Southeastern Louisiana | W 74–64 | 11–9 (5–2) | 17 – C. Pryor | 7 – A. Hamilton | 4 – T. Anderson | Neches Arena (2,433) Beaumont, TX |
| January 29, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | New Orleans | W 98–73 | 12–9 (6–2) | 23 – B. Knight | 9 – E. White | 6 – C. Pryor | Neches Arena (1,243) Beaumont, TX |
| February 3, 2024 3:30 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Texas A&M–Corpus Christi | L 71–79 | 12–10 (6–3) | 20 – T. Anderson | 11 – T. Anderson | 2 – T. Anderson | American Bank Center (2,465) Corpus Christi, TX |
| February 10, 2024 6:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Nicholls | W 75–56 | 13–10 (7–3) | 15 – J. Buckley | 8 – A. Hamilton | 7 – J. Buckley | Neches Arena (2,353) Beaumont, TX |
| February 12, 2024 6:30 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Incarnate Word | L 67–76 | 13–11 (7–4) | 22 – T. Anderson | 9 – E White | 4 – J. Buckley | McDermott Center (204) San Antonio, TX |
| February 17, 2024 4:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at New Orleans | W 94–72 | 14–11 (8–4) | 17 – A. Hamilton | 10 – T. Anderson | 10 – C. Pryor | Lakefront Arena (792) New Orleans, LA |
| February 19, 2024 6:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Southeastern Louisiana | W 77–72 $^{OT}$ | 15–11 (9–4) | 19 – T. Anderson | 9 – T. Anderson | 7 – T. Anderson | Pride Roofing University Center (528) Hammond, LA |
| February 24, 2024 6:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Texas A&M–Corpus Christi | L 61–75 | 15–12 (9–5) | 15 – J. Buckley | 9 – T. Anderson | 2 – T. Buckley | Neches Arena (3,176) Beaumont, TX |
| February 26, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | McNeese Battle of the Border (rivalry) | L 56–58 | 15–13 (9–6) | 10 – A. Hamilton | 13 – A. Hamilton | 4 – J. Buckley | Neches Arena (3,844) Beaumont, TX |
| March 2, 2024 3:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Northwestern State | W 82–77 $^{OT}$ | 16–13 (10–6) | 19 – B. Knight | 10 – A. Hamilton | 7 – C. Pryor | Prather Coliseum (1,127) Natchitoches, LA |
| March 4, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Texas A&M–Commerce | W 70–53 | 17–13 (11–6) | 19 – B.B. Knight | 11 – T. Anderson | 7 – T. Anderson | The Field House (329) Commerce, TX |
| March 6, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Houston Christian | W 78–68 | 18–13 (12–6) | 21 – T. Anderson | 9 – A. Hamilton | 3 – tied (2) | Neches Arena (1,559) Beaumont, TX |
| Southland tournament |||||||||
| March 11, 2024 5:00 p.m., ESPN+ | (4) | vs. (8) New Orleans Second round | W 71–57 | 19–13 | 20 – T. Anderson | 8 – T. Anderson | 8 – C. Pryor | The Legacy Center Lake Charles, LA |
| March 12, 2024 5:30 p.m., ESPNU | (4) | at (1) McNeese Semifinals | L 57–76 | 19–14 | 16 – T. Anderson | 9 – E. White | 2 – tied (5) | The Legacy Center (4,200) Lake Charles, LA |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. All times are in Central. |||||||||
Source:

## Conference awards and honors
### Weekly awards

Weekly honors :
| Honors | Player | Position | Date awarded | Ref. |
| SLC Men's Basketball Player of the Week | Adam Hamilton | C | November 20, 2023 | |
| SLC Men's Basketball Player of the Week | Terry Anderson | F | March 8, 2024 | |