Preseason MVP: Austin Lanier product Davion Buster averaged nearly 15 points per game a year ago and tied the conference and program record for 11 3-pointers in a single game and shot 37.8 percent as a sophomore.

The Ceiling: The Cardinals return three starters so improving on last season’s fourth-place finish is the goal. While there are plenty of questions with this team, the Cardinals could have a fifth straight winning campaign and finish in the top half of the SLC. That puts Lamar in the running for a big tournament push.

The Floor: While having three regulars back is impressive, the rest of the roster opens the door for concern. This team doesn’t look to be too deep, which could lead to struggles and finishing in the bottom half of the league while playing in the Southland, which will feature a lot of parity following top-gunner Stephen F. Austin. 

Game of the Year: Sam Houston State

Projected Starting Five

Davion Buster
G | 5-10 | Jr. | Austin, Texas

Anderson Kopp
G | 6-5 | So. | Houston, Texas

Ellis Jefferson
G | 6-0 | Sr. | San Antonio, Texas

David Muoka
C | 6-10 | So. | Hong Kong

Avery Sullivan
C/F | 6-8 | Sr. | Pflugerville, Texas

Tic Price
Head Coach

First-Year Impact Player: Kasen Harrison

Season Preview

Maybe, just maybe, this could be the season that the Lamar Cardinals seriously contend in the Southland Conference.

Head coach Tic Price's program goes into the 2020-2021 campaign locked and loaded with talented veterans. Sure, there are some key holes to fill from losing seniors T.J. Atwood and V.J. Holmes after last season's 17-15 squad.

Atwood led the team in scoring (16.8 ppg), while Holmes was a downright play-maker, ranking second in the league in both assists and steals.

While those players had major roles with the Cardinals' success last season, a solid group of returners for Price is reason for optimism. Price has guided Lamar to four straight winning campaigns, the program's best run in about 30 years.

The group of returner starters that includes guard Davion Buster, center Avery Sullivan and guard Anderson Kopp serves as the backbone of the roster.

The 5-foot-10 Buster is good at playing well above his stature. He averaged 14.6 points with 70 assists and 51 steals last season. He led the Cardinals with 95 3-pointers, while shooting 37 percent from the stripe.

The junior is on pace to become Lamar's all-time three-point shooter.

The coaching staff expects Sullivan to continue to elevate his game and production after he was the team's third-leading scorer last season and ranked among the league leaders in rebounds.

As a junior, Sullivan transformed himself from a little-used reserve the year before into one of the league's best big men.

The top underclassmen on the roster and in the Southland is Kopp, a long-range 3-point shooter who knocked down 35 3-pointers as a freshman despite missing the first 11 games because of an injury.

Other veterans on the roster are sophomores David Muoka, Jordan Wallace, Corey Nickerson and Ayaan Sohail and seniors Ellis Jefferson, Dylan Morrison and Anthony Cameron..

Muoka, a 6-foot-10 center from Hong Kong, had marginal averages of 3.2 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. But he had an obvious presence on defense near the rim, registering 58 blocks.

Nickerson, a 6-foot-7 forward, figures to see more playing time. He averaged 2.5 points and 2.2 rebounds as a freshman.

Jefferson averaged 5.4 points last season and is another Cardinal player who should increase his production in his final campaign.

The Cardinals'  top newcomer is Kasen Harrison, a point guard out of Beaumont United High School.