While the weather outside the Legacy Center Monday night might be cold, inside the Cowboy home will likely be much warmer.

After two straight sellouts, McNeese State hosts rival Lamar in an early Southland Conference showdown of first-place teams.

The Battle of the Border tips off at 7 p.m. as the Cowboys and Cardinals enter 3-0 in league play. McNeese, riding a nine-game winning streak, is 14-2 overall while Lamar is 9-7.

“They got a really good team,” said McNeese head coach Will Wade. “They got a lot of good players who have been playing really well.”

The Cardinals are coming off a big overtime victory at Nicholls Saturday 78-76 on guard Chris Pryor’s layup with five seconds remaining. It was Lamar’s fourth straight win.

“They run around and trap a lot,” said Wade. “They are very good in transition and scoring off of turnovers.”

The Cardinals are averaging 18.5 points per game off of turnovers.

“Lamar is good,” said Wade. “They have been a big rival for a long time. They are going to bring a lot of people over from Beaumont. We will have to be ready.”

The Pokes will be counting on their home crowd, which has sold out the Legacy Center the last two games, including Saturday’s 74-65 win over preseason favorite Southeastern.

McNeese is 8-0 at home this season while Lamar, which has won four of the last five meetings in Lake Charles, is just 1-6 on the road.

Javohn Garcia scored a season-high 22 points and Shahada Wells added 20 to lead McNeese over the Lions. Wells is second in the conference in scoring with a 19.7 average.

Garcia broke out in Saturday night’s game, hitting 4 of 5 from long range.

“I hit my first shot and got into a rhythm,” said Garcia. “I have been working hard on my shot in practice. I think I found it.”

That would be another weapon for the Cowboys, who have five players, including Garcia, scoring in double figures. Christian Shumate averages 11.8 points and a league-leading 9.4 rebounds a game.

DJ Richards (10.8) and Antavion Collum (10.4) join the group in double figures.

Terry Anderson, a 6-foot-6 junior guard who scored 25 Saturday, leads Lamar at 12.1 a game. He is one of four Cardinals also scoring in double digits.

The winner will hold an early edge in the race for the regular season conference race.