2010-11 Men's hoop schedule

[HoopInsider_Cooper]

Lamar University head men’s basketball coach Steve Roccaforte has announced a competitive 2010-11 schedule with a road game at Texas on Dec. 1 and a spot in SMU’s tournament highlighting the pre-conference contests.

The Cardinals and Longhorns will square off for the first time since the 1995-96 season, and it will be only the fifth meeting ever between the schools with UT winning the previous four.

“Texas will be a big game that our people will be excited about,” said Roccaforte. “I’m hoping we can get a big group of fans to travel to that game and support us.”

The Cardinals will open the season at home on Nov. 13 against Lyon College before travelling to SMU the following weekend. LU will play three games in three days starting on Friday, Nov. 19, with UC-Riverside, Portland State and the host Mustangs all participating.

“The SMU Tournament will give us a good practice run of what the Southland Conference Tournament will be like when you’re trying to win three games in a row on a neutral site,” the fourth-year head coach said.

After defeating Tulane, Rice, Arkansas State and Texas-Pan American in the Montagne Center last season, the Cardinals will return all four games this year. LU will play at UTPA on Nov. 23, at Rice on Dec. 4, at Tulane on Dec. 30 and at ASU on Jan. 17.

“I’m excited about these games with UTPA, Lafayette and Arkansas State because those are rivalry type games for the fans,” said Roccaforte. “I begin to throw Rice in there, as well, because we see them more and more, and I know baseball plays them every year.”

Lamar, which went 13-5 at home last season, will look to avenge its only non-conference home loss from a year ago when the Cardinals play at Louisiana-Lafayette on Dec. 19.

“I like this schedule because we never play more than two true road games in a row this season,” noted Roccaforte, “and that is by design."

Lamar will host Canisius College, and its 7-3 center Marial Dhal, on Dec. 22.. St. Gregory’s (Nov. 27), Huston-Tillotson (Dec. 11) and Louisiana College (Jan. 4) all make visits to the Montagne Center for the second straight season, as well.

The Cardinals, who will play in the SLC East Division this season, open conference play at Central Arkansas on Jan. 8 before playing their home conference opener on Jan. 12 against long-time rival McNeese State.

“I’m excited about this team and about this schedule,” said Roccaforte. “I like the fact three of our last five conference games are at home, because that will be valuable in a tight race.”

[ForeverADog]

Not a bad schedule. No one good at home in he nonconference schedule. But hopefully that helps LU win more on the road in conference.

[BLUEDOVE3]

Sounds like a good road schedule coming up.

[bigred360]

Agree, with all the return games on the schedule there isn't a great non-conference home schedule. But, hey if this was a baseball schedule then baseball25 would love it.

[ForeverADog]

Oh I like the schedule. We suck on the road usually so hopefully this will help us be better on the road for conference.

[bigred360]

For Coach Roc's sake I hope we play better on the road this year and that isn't a easy road non-conference schedule.

[TexasTerror]

No one mentioned the best thing Billy Tubbs did before he left and very pertinent to the subject...

You guys are in the SLC East this year!

[HoopInsider_Cooper]

[font=Courier]And from my understanding, Lamar will remain in the SLC East from here on out.[/font]