# 2024–25 Lamar Cardinals basketball team

The 2024–25 Lamar Cardinals basketball team represents Lamar University during the 2024–25 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Cardinals are led by fourth-year head coach Alvin Brooks and play their home games at the Neches Federal Credit Union Arena at the Montagne Center in Beaumont, Texas.

## Previous season

The Cardinals 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.

## Preseason polls
### Southland Conference Poll

The Southland Conference released its preseason poll on October 16, 2024. Receiving 143 votes overall, the Cardinals were picked to finish fifth in the conference.
| Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
| 1 | McNeese | 242 (21) |
| 2 | Stephen F. Austin | 208 |
| 3 | Nicholls | 205 (3) |
| 4 | Texas A&M–Corpus Christi | 191 |
| 5 | Lamar | 143 |
| 6 | Southeastern | 121 |
| 7 | Incarnate Word | 117 |
| 8 | UT Rio Grande Valley | 112 |
| 9 | Northwestern State | 90 |
| 10 | Texas A&M–Commerce | 54 |
| 10 | New Orleans | 54 |
| 12 | Houston Christian | 48 |

### Preseason All Conference

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

## Roster

Additional source:

## Schedule and results

Source:
| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Site (attendance) city, state |
| Exhibition |||||||||
| October 29, 2024* 7:00 p.m., – | | LSU–Alexandria | L 80–83 | – | – | – | – | Neches Arena Beaumont, TX |
| Regular season |||||||||
| November 4, 2024* 4:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Paul Quinn | W 113–42 | 1–0 | 20 – A. Holifield | 10 – E. White | 9 – J. Jackson | Neches Arena (1,436) Beaumont, TX |
| November 11, 2024* 7:00 p.m., SECN | | at No. 23 Texas A&M | L 71–97 | 1–1 | 23 – A. Marmolejos | 10 – A. Holifield | 3 – J. Bulajic | Reed Arena (7,195) College Station, TX |
| November 17, 2024* 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Sam Houston | L 72–85 | 1–2 | 15 – A. Holifield | 7 – E. White | 5 – C. Pennebaker | Neches Arena (1,848) Beaumont, TX |
| November 22, 2024* 5:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Akron Akron Classic | L 72–79 | 1–3 | 16 – J. Jackson | 8 – A. Hamilton | 3 – A. Hamilton | James A. Rhodes Arena (1,775) Akron, OH |
| November 23, 2024* 7:30 p.m. | | vs. Alabama State Akron Classic | L 75–77 | 1–4 | 28 – A. Marmolejos | 11 – A. Hamilton | 5 – Jackson | James A. Rhodes Arena (120) Akron, OH |
| November 24, 2024 11:00 a.m. | | vs. Omaha Akron Classic | L 59–65 | 1–5 | 15 – A. Marmolejos | 6 – C. Pennebaker | 5 – J. Jackson | James A. Rhodes Arena (46) Akron, OH |
| November 30, 2024* 6:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Our Lady of the Lake | W 88–54 | 2–5 | 18 – J. Jackson | 9 – A. Hamilton | 6 – A. Marmolejos | Neches Arena (1,118) Beaumont, TX |
| December 5, 2024 12:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Texas A&M–Corpus Christi | W 65–61 | 3–5 (1–0) | 17 – A. Marmolejos | 11 – A. Hamilton | 9 – J. Jackson | American Bank Center (1,052) Corpus Christi, TX |
| December 7, 2024 4:30 p.m., ESPN+ | | at UT Rio Grande Valley | W 84–52 | 4–5 (2–0) | 18 – A. Marmolejos | 7 – A. Holifield | 3 – Tied | UTRGV Fieldhouse (646) Edinburg, TX |
| December 14, 2024* 12:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Louisiana | W 74–45 | 5–5 | 17 – A. Holifield | 11 – Tied | 4 – Tied | Cajundome (1,113) Lafayette, LA |
| December 17, 2024* 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Southern Miss | W 69–65 | 6–5 | 20 – A. Marmolejos | 7 – A. Holifield | 5 – J. Bulajic | Reed Green Coliseum (2,829) Hattiesburg, MS |
| December 21, 2024* 12:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Texas Tech | L 57–101 | 6–6 | 11 – A. Marmolehos | 8 – A. Holifield | 4 – C. Pennebaker | United Supermarkets Arena (10,013) Lubbock, TX |
| December 30, 2024* 6:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Texas A&M–San Antonio | W 82–65 | 7–6 | 17 – A. Marmolejos | 14 – C. Pennebaker | 7 – C. Pennebaker | Neches Arena (2,130) Beaumont, TX |
| January 4, 2025 6:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Houston Christian | W 63–61 | 8–6 (3–0) | 21 – A. Marmolejos | 8 – A. Hamilton | 6 – J. Jackson | Neches Arena (1,533) Beaumont, TX |
| January 6, 2025 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Incarnate Word | W 72–58 | 9–6 (4–0) | 16 – A. Hamilton | 8 – A. Hamilton | 10 – J. Jackson | Neches Arena (1,333) Beaumont, TX |
| January 11, 2025 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Stephen F. Austin | L 63–72 | 9–7 (4–1) | 13 – A. Holifield | 6 – A. Hamilton | 3 – J. Jackson | Neches Arena Beaumont, TX |
| January 13, 2025 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | New Orleans | L 62–68 | 9–8 (4–2) | 15 – D. Dawsey | 9 – A. Marmolejos | 4 – C. Pennebaker | Neches Arena (1,019) Beaumont, TX |
| January 18, 2025 4:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at McNeese Battle of the Border (rivalry) | L 64–75 | 9–9 (4–3) | 20 – A. Marmolejos | 8 – A. Hamilton | 5 – J. Jackson | The Legacy Center (4,081) Lake Charles, LA |
| January 20, 2025 1:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Nicholls | W 78–74 | 10–9 (5–3) | 18 – J. Jackson | 9 – A. Hamilton | 3 – J. Jackson | Stopher Gymnasium (301) Thibodaux |
| January 25, 2025 6:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | East Texas A&M | W 61–58 $^{OT}$ | 11–9 (6–3) | 24 – A. Marmolejos | 11 – E. White | 4 – C. Pennebaker | Neches Arena (1,912) Beaumont, TX |
| January 27, 2025 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Northwestern State | W 69–59 | 12–9 (7–3) | 14 – A. Marmolejos | 14 – A. Hamilton | 3 – Tied | Neches Arena (1,706) Beaumont, TX |
| February 1, 2025 2:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Stephen F. Austin | W 67–62 | 13–9 (8–3) | 12 – J. Jackson | 7 – A. Marmolejos | 5 – J. Jackson | William R. Johnson Coliseum (1,674) Nacogdoches, TX |
| February 3, 2025 6:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Southeastern Louisiana | L 79–81 | 13–10 (8–4) | 19 – D. Dawsey | 8 – A. Hamilton | 3 – J. Barrs | Pride Roofing University Center (546) Hammond, LA |
| February 8, 2025 6:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | UT Rio Grande Valley | W 70–68 | 14–10 (9–4) | 19 – A. Marmolejos | 8 – E. White | 3 – J. Jackson | Neches Arena (1,753) Beaumont, TX |
| February 10, 2025 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Texas A&M–Corpus Christi | W 67–56 | 15–10 (10–4) | 15 – J. Jackson | 10 – A. Hamilton | 3 – Tied | Neches Arena (1,637) Beaumont, TX |
| February 15, 2025 2:15 p.m., ESPN+ | | at East Texas A&M | W 65–55 | 16–10 (11–4) | 13 – A. Marmolejos | 11 – E. White | 6 – D. Dawsey | The Field House (499) Commerce, TX |
| February 17, 2025 6:30 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Northwestern State | W 75–65 | 17–10 (12–4) | 22 – A. Holifield | 7 – A. Hamilton | 3 – A. Marmolejos | Prather Coliseum (999) Natchitoches, LA |
| February 22, 2025 3:30 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Houston Christian | W 66–58 | 18–10 (13–4) | 17 – J. Jackson | 7 – J. Bulajic | 5 – J. Jackson | Sharp Gymnasium (765) Houston, TX |
| February 24, 2025 6:30 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Incarnate Word | L 61–73 | 18–11 (13–5) | 16 – J. Jackson | 9 – A. Hamilton | 3 – A. Hamilton | McDermott Convocation Center (347) San Antonio, TX |
| March 1 2025 6:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | McNeese Battle of the Border (rivalry) | L 66–68 | 18–12 (13–6) | 19 – J. Jackson | 8 – A. Hamilton | 5 – J. Jackson | Neches Arena (5,746) Beaumont, TX |
| March 3, 2025 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | Nicholls | W 65–53 | 19–12 (14–6) | 15 – A. Marmolejos | 10 – E. White | 5 – D. Dawsey | Neches Arena (1,923) Beaumont, TX |
| Southland tournament |||||||||
| March 11, 2025 8:30 pm, ESPN+ | (2) | vs. (3) Nicholls Semifinals | W 58–55 | 20–12 | 17 – A. Marmolejos | 9 – E. White | 5 – J. Jackson | The Legacy Center (3,782) Lake Charles, LA |
| March 12, 2025 4:00 pm, ESPN2 | (2) | at (1) McNeese Championship | L 54–63 | 20–13 | 18 – A. Marmolejos | 9 – Tied | 2 – J. Jackson | The Legacy Center (4,106) Lake Charles, LA |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. All times are in Central. |||||||||

## Conference awards and honors
### Weekly awards

Weekly honors :
| Honors | Player | Position | Date awarded |
| SLC Men's Basketball Player of the Week | Alexis Marmolejos | G | December 9, 2024 |
| SLC Men's Basketball Player of the Week | Andrew Holifield | F | December 16, 2024 |
| SLC Men's Basketball Player of the Week | Adam Hamilton | C | March 6, 2025 |