Cowboys, ULL renew rivalry

Having traveled almost 7,000 miles this season, McNeese State is going to spend the next few days close to home.

Looking to improve chemistry and comfort, the Cowboys will play one game over a 12-day stretch. That comes tonight when McNeese travels to Lafayette for a game against the Ragin’ Cajuns.

“It will be nice to be home for a period and get some work in practice,” said McNeese head coach John Aiken. “Getting to play a game just down the road will be good for us too.”

McNeese (3-6) is on a three-game losing streak and is 0-5 in road games, including losses last week at Seattle and Wyoming.

“We left a lot of points out there with turnovers and missed free throws,” Aiken said. “I liked our intensity but we have to clean those things up.”

Turnovers have been the biggest problem as McNeese is averaging almost one every 2 minutes. The Cowboys are forcing almost 18 a game to help offset that but still are giving away too many possessions, Aiken said.

“There is a lack of familiarity of some of the things we are trying to do,” he said. “There is also a lack of comfort from our guys. We need to get comfortable in our settings.”

Aiken said the Cajuns (4-3) resemble the Cowboys in what they are trying to do.

“They are a carbon copy to us,” he said. “They really look very similar to us. They are big and athletic.

“It should be a battle of defensive wills.”

It will also be a battle of big guys, a throwback in some ways to the old days.

Sophomore Jordan Brown leads ULL with 11.7 points and seven rebounds a game. The 6-foot-11 center will be countered by McNeese’s 7-1 Brendan Medley-Bacon who leads the Cowboys at 11 points and 6.2 boards a game.

Cajun Theo Akwuba (10 ppg) and Cowboy Myles Lewis (10.4) are the only two other players on either team to average in double figures this year.

“I love playing these other Louisiana schools,” Aiken said. “I hope we get a chance to play more in the future.”

SportsPlus

Local News

Trump wins Georgia, moving closer to reclaiming White House

Local News

Beauregard, Vernon voters favor Trump

Local News

GOP reclaims Senate majority

Local News

Republican Higgins wins re-election bid for US House

Local News

Bowers elected newest member of Calcasieu Police Jury

Local News

Early election takeaways: Trump weakens Democrats’ coalition

Local News

Vidrine elected to serve as Oakdale’s next mayor

Local News

Trump wins North Carolina while votes are still being counted in other key states

Local News

Voters statewide approve constitutional amendment

Local News

Judge Davis elected newest member of Court of Appeal

Local News

Jeff Davis elects two new mayors, re-elects police chief

Local News

Cameron voters approve four bond issues

Local News

Early election takeaways: Next president will lead fractured nation

Local News

Speaker Johnson re-elected to a fifth term in the House

Local News

Trump, Harris win reliable states while voters await battleground results

Business

Westlake Chemical plant fined $825,000

Local News

Rafael strengthens to Category 1 hurricane as it barrels toward Cuba

Local News

AP race call: Trump wins Texas

Local News

AP race call: Trump wins Louisiana

Crime

11/5: Calcasieu Parish Sheriff announces arrest list

Local News

Tropical Storm Rafael expected to become a hurricane — possibly overnight

Local News

‘Cream of the crop’ responds to call for state’s largest marching festival

Local News

PHOTO GALLERY: State Marching Championship

Local News

Trump, Harris cede stage to voters who’ll also decide control of House and Senate