Cowboys to hit the road for two games

Published 2:13 pm Friday, January 19, 2024

Heading back out on the road, the Cowboys are looking to carry momentum over from a pair of big home victories last weekend.

McNeese State travels to Incarnate Word Saturday before a showdown with two-time defending Southland Conference champion Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Monday.

“We haven’t played very well on the road in the league,” said McNeese head coach Will Wade. “We need to play better and have some carryover.”

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The Cowboys enter the weekend riding a 10-game winning streak and in sole possession of first place in the conference at 4-0. McNeese is 15-2 overall, the best start in 60 years.

Incarnate Word is 0-3, 5-11 after having its game last Monday postponed due to weather against Texas A&M-Commerce.

“They will be well rested and ready for us,” said Wade. “We have to be able to travel with energy.

“We have been winning, which is good, but we have had some narrow mistakes.”

The Cowboys are coming off their best league performance, an 88-69 victory over Lamar in a battle for first place. A big second half fueled McNeese to victory.

Now the Pokes want to add a solid road trip to their resume.

“If we are the team we want to be or have a chance to be, it can’t matter who or where we are playing,” said Wade. “We have to play with an edge on the road as well.”

McNeese leads the Southland in scoring defense, allowing just 60.5 points per game. The Pokes are second in scoring at 79.6.

Shahada Wells leads McNeese in scoring and is second in the league with a 19.7 average. The graduate senior transfer also is handing out 4.4 assists a contest.

Forward Christian Shumate is the top SLC rebounder at 9.8 while scoring at a 12.3 clip. And Javohn Garcia has been hot of late, scoring 50 points over the last three games. He has hit on seven of nine three-point shots in the last two.

The Cowboys have also gotten a few more weapons of late. Mike Saunders played his first game of the season Monday, scoring two points and dishing three assists in just over 17 minutes of work.

Saunders gives McNeese more depth at the guard position, but Wade said Omar Cooper is still the starter at that spot.

“Omar Cooper is our starting point guard, period,” Wade said. “But Saunders gives us depth at the guard position. He opens up guys to play their natural positions.”

C.J. Felder had his best game as well, finishing with 10 points and 10 rebounds against Lamar.

On Monday the Cowboys will try to break a 16-game losing streak at the hands of Corpus Christi.