Helena Frye
Lamar University's basketball team, the Cardinals, is one of the school's most prominent athletic programs. The team has a rich history in college basketball, with several notable achievements over the years. The Cardinals have appeared in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament six times, most recently in 2012, and have had their fair share of success in the Southland Conference. With a history of strong coaching and talented players, the Lamar Cardinals have left their mark on the sport. In this topic, we will delve into the rankings, records, and notable moments of Lamar University's basketball team, exploring the factors that have shaped their performance over the years.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Beaumont, Texas |
| Number of Seasons | 57 |
| Record | 839-820 |
| W-L% | .506 |
| Conferences | WAC, Sun Belt, ASC, Southland |
| Regular Season Conference Champion | 9 |
| Tournament Conference Champion | 4 |
| NCAA Tournament Appearances | 6 |
| Sweet 16 Appearances | 1 |
| Round of 32 Appearances | 1 |
| Final Four Appearances | 0 |
| National Championships | 0 |
| AP Poll Ranking | #1 in 1968-1969 |
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What You'll Learn
Lamar University basketball team history
The Lamar University basketball team, known as the Cardinals, is one of the school's most storied athletic programs. The team has appeared six times in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, most recently in 2012.
Basketball at Lamar University began in 1923 with the founding of South Park Junior College, which was renamed Lamar in 1932. In the early years, the squad struggled to find common opponents and often had to play local high schools or city amateur teams. By 1931, the squad had been reduced to an intramural level. The program was revived in 1946 as Lamar entered the Southwestern Junior College Conference, and the squad was immediately successful, finishing second with a 10-4 record under head coach Dave Engman.
The following year, the 1947-1948 team, under the veteran coaching of Elbert Pickell, pulled off an upset by capturing the state title with a 13-3 record. The Cardinals continued to prosper under head coach Thurman "Slue" Hull, who compiled a 49-30 record before being hired away by the University of Texas.
In 1951, Jack Martin became the first head basketball coach for Lamar as a four-year college. He led the Cardinals as they entered the college division Lone Star Conference and is the longest-serving head coach in Lamar's history. Martin's squads won the Lone Star Conference title three seasons and the Southland Conference title two seasons. They also competed in five NCAA College Division (now NCAA Division II) tournaments. The highlight of Martin's career was the 1968-1969 squad, which earned a #1 national ranking in the Associated Press college division poll and won its first 15 games of the season against strong competition.
After Martin, several coaches led the Lamar Cardinals basketball team, with varying levels of success. Tom Abatemarco, who was hired in 1986, led the team to a 20-11 overall and 5-5 conference record in the newly created American South Conference. In 2006, Coach Roccaforte took the Cardinals to the East Division Championship and a 19-win season. In 2011, Pat Knight was hired as the new head coach, and in his first season, he led the Cardinals to their first 20-win season since 1988. However, after two of the worst seasons in Lamar's history, Knight was relieved of his duties in 2014, and Tic Price was named the new head coach.
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Past coaches and their records
Lamar Basketball, also known as the Lamar Cardinals, has had 12 head coaches in its 72-season history. The current head coach is Alvin Brooks, who was hired in April 2021. Brooks replaced Tic Price, who was fired after the 2020-21 season. Price had been named interim head coach in February 2014, replacing Pat Knight in the middle of his third year. Knight led the Cardinals to their first 20-win season since 1988, finishing with a 20-11 regular season record and an 11-5 Southland Conference record in his first season.
Prior to Knight, the Cardinals were coached by Billy Tubbs (1976-1980), who was the first former player and alumnus to coach the team. Tubbs led the Cardinals to their first NCAA Division I basketball tournament in 1979 and the Sweet 16 in 1980. He compiled a record of 334-283 at Lamar, including an 80-game NCAA home court winning streak.
Pat Foster (1980-1986) replaced Tubbs and was previously an assistant coach under Eddie Sutton at Arkansas. During his time at Lamar, Foster recruited several players who would go on to be drafted by the NBA, including Mike Olliver, who set the single-game scoring record at Lamar with 50 points.
Jack Martin was the first head basketball coach for Lamar as a four-year college and the longest-serving coach in the program's history. He coached the Cardinals from 1951 to 1976, leading them to three Lone Star Conference titles, two Southland Conference titles, and five NCAA College Division (now NCAA Division II) tournament appearances.
Before Martin, Elbert Pickell coached the 1947-1948 team to a state title with a 13-3 record. The Cardinals also found success under head coach Thurman "Slue" Hull, who compiled a 49-30 record before being hired away by the University of Texas.
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Tournament appearances and wins
The Lamar University men's basketball team, the Cardinals, has a rich history of tournament appearances and wins. The team has appeared in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament six times, most recently in 2012.
The Cardinals' first forays into tournament play began in the 1960s. Under Coach Martin, the team competed in five NCAA College Division (now NCAA Division II) tournaments. During this era, the Cardinals won the Lone Star Conference title three times and the Southland Conference title twice. The 1968-1969 squad was a particular highlight, earning a #1 national ranking in the Associated Press college division poll.
The Cardinals continued to build on their success in the following decades. The 1979-80 team reached the Sweet 16 at the 1980 NCAA tournament, notching upset wins over 7-seed Weber State and 2-seed Oregon State. This run marked the team's deepest tournament advancement to date. The Cardinals returned to the NCAA tournament in 1983, making it to the Round of 32 with another upset win, this time over 6-seed Alabama.
In more recent years, the Cardinals have experienced mixed results. During the Roccaforte era from 2006 to 2011, the team had notable wins over programs like the Texas Tech Red Raiders in 2008. In the 2007-2008 season, Coach Roc led the Cardinals to the East Division Championship and a 19-win season. However, following this SLC championship, the Cardinals endured a three-year drought without reaching the conference tournament.
The Cardinals have also enjoyed success in their conference performances. They have been crowned conference champions nine times during the regular season and four times in tournament play.
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Player achievements
The Lamar University basketball team, also known as the Cardinals, has a rich history of player achievements. The Cardinals have appeared six times in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, most recently in 2012. The team's most notable tournament run was in 1980 when they reached the Sweet 16, with upset wins over 7-seed Weber State and 2-seed Oregon State. In the early years, the squad struggled to find common opponents and often had to play local high schools or amateur teams. However, under Coach Martin, the Cardinals flourished, winning the Lone Star Conference title three times and the Southland Conference title twice. Martin's most successful squad was the 1968-1969 team, which earned a #1 national ranking in the Associated Press college division poll. This team included Don Bryson, who was named an AP NCAA College Division All-American in 1965, and Earl Dow, an AP NCAA Division I All-American in 1969. One of Coach Martin's players, Luke Adams, even made it to the NBA draft.
In the 1980s, the Cardinals continued their winning streak under Coach Foster, with 49 consecutive home court wins. James Gulley, who played for Lamar University for four seasons, was part of this successful era. The Cardinals' erratic success continued into the 2000s, with wins over major programs like the Texas Tech Red Raiders in 2008 under Coach Roccaforte. Coach Roc's tenure was marked by highly-ranked recruiting classes, and one of his recruits, Mike James, had a standout performance in 2011, scoring 52 points in just 28 minutes.
One of the most notable players to come out of Lamar University is Lamar Odom, who went on to have a successful career in the NBA. Odom played college basketball for the University of Rhode Island, earning all-conference honours during his only season in the Atlantic 10 Conference. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Clippers in 1999 and later joined the Los Angeles Lakers, where he won NBA championships in 2009 and 2010. Odom was named the NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 2011 and was a key figure in the Lakers' consecutive championship victories.
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Current rankings
The Lamar University men's basketball team, the Cardinals, is one of the school's most prominent athletic programs. The team has a rich history in college basketball, with several notable achievements over the years.
Currently, the Cardinals are ranked within the top 100 college basketball teams by ESPN, although their exact ranking is unclear. The team has experienced recent success, with the Cardinals rallying to beat Nicholls State 58-55 in a Southland Conference Tournament semifinal game. This victory was sealed by Adam Hamilton with a layup in the final 44 seconds of the game.
In the 2024-25 season, the Cardinals have a record of 839-820, which is a .506 win percentage. This record includes their performance in various conferences, such as the WAC, Sun Belt, ASC, and Southland. The Cardinals have won the conference championship nine times during the regular season and four times in the tournament.
Over the years, the Cardinals have appeared in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament six times, most recently in 2012. In the 1979-80 season, they reached the Sweet 16, their most successful tournament run. They have also made it to the Round of 32 on one occasion, in 1983, after an upset victory over Alabama.
The Cardinals have had several notable coaches throughout their history. Coach Martin, who coached the team from 1955 to 1957, led the Cardinals to three Lone Star Conference titles and two Southland Conference titles. The team also competed in five NCAA College Division tournaments during his tenure. Another notable coach is Pat Knight, hired in 2011, who guided the Cardinals to their first 20-win season since 1988 in his inaugural year.
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Frequently asked questions
Six times, most recently in 2012.
5-6.
Once, for one week.
134 wins.
