The regular-season title is secure, and the postseason is in the future, but the Cowboys want to stay in the present.

That means a Saturday trip to Beaumont, Texas, for a showdown with second-place and rival Lamar in the Montagne Center. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.

“This is a big weekend for us,” said McNeese State head coach Will Wade. “They are our biggest rivals.”

McNeese will try to sweep the Battle of the Border after winning the first meeting 75-64 in Lake Charles on Jan. 18, 75-64. The Cowboys come into this game having won seven straight games and clinched their second straight regular season title.

“This is still a big game,” said Wade. “We want to win every game, but this is important, for it is a rivalry. It is important to us and our fans.”

The Cowboys are 23-6 and 17-1 in the Southland Conference. They would tie the program record for most conference victories in a season with a win. 

They would also tie the school mark with 54 wins over the last two years. McNeese finishes the regular season at Stephen F. Austin on Monday.

“The job is not done,” said guard Javohn Garcia. “We still have a lot to play for ahead of us.”

The game is big for the Cardinals as well. They are currently second at 18-11, 13-5, one game ahead of Nicholls and Southeastern. 

Finishing second would give Lamar the No. 2 seed and double-bye in the upcoming Southland postseason tournament in the Legacy Center. The Cardinals have won nine of their last 11 but lost last Monday night at Incarnate Word.

“They are going to come in ready,” said Wade. “They are playing for that double-bye. It will be a real good test on the road for us.”

It is a battle between two of the best defensive teams in the league. McNeese leads the conference, allowing 64.3 points a game. Lamar is third at 66.6. SFA is second at 66.5.

“Lamar is a really good defensive team,” said Wade. “They will be hard to score against. They are also physical, very physical.”

Alexis Marmolejos led the Cardinals with 20 points in the first meeting, hitting four of seven 3-pointers. DJ Richards had 19 for McNeese, making five of nine from long-range.

Richards is a key to McNeese. The sharpshooter leads the conference in 3-point shooting, hitting at 43.8 percent. 

He has been even hotter of late. Over the last six games, Richards has hit 24 of 42 3-pointers, which is good for 57.1%. He is averaging 16.7 points during that stretch.

The Cowboys are coming off a 100-65 win over Texas Rio-Grande Valley, which is the most points they have scored against a Division I opponent this season.

“We are trying to play more in transition and get good spacing,” said Wade. 

The game against SFA will be telecast on ESPNU at 6 p.m.

Women’s Basketball

The women’s teams will meet earlier, starting at 3 p.m. The Cowgirls have lost 16 straight to the Lady Cardinals. 

McNeese (10-19, 5-13 SLC) enters the game in ninth place in the SLC standing following its 80-57 road loss at Stephen F. Austin on Thursday.  

The Cowgirls are still in the hunt for an SLC Tournament berth but will need to end at least tied with Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. McNeese has the tiebreaker over the Islanders due to two wins over them.

Lamar (20-7, 15-3 SLC) enters the game in second place, ½ game ahead of third-place Stephen F. Austin.