MCNEESE GAME NOTES              MSSTATE GAME NOTES

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Rated with the second-toughest schedule to date, McNeese will hit the road one final time before Southland Conference play gets underway when the Cowboys visit Mississippi State for a 7 p.m. tip here on Tuesday night.
 
The game will be broadcast live on the McNeese Radio Network (Cajun Radio 1470) and also will be streamed live on the SEC Network Plus (www.secnetwork.com).
 
McNeese (5-5) is 0-3 away from home this season will all of its losses coming against members of the big five conferences (Baylor, TCU, LSU). The Cowboys are coming off back-to-back home losses to MAC members Toledo and Central Michigan. Baylor is currently ranked No. 22 in both NCAA polls while TCU and LSU are receiving votes.
 
Mississippi State (6-5) snapped a five-game losing streak with a 70-47 win over Jacksonville in its last outing. The Bulldogs, however, are 5-1 at home with the only loss coming to Arkansas State. MSU opened the season with five straight wins.
 
The Cowboys, who are 1-6 all-time against Mississippi State, will continue to ride the coattails of seniors Desharick Guidry, Kevin Hardy and Keelan Garrett, all who call Lake Charles their home. The trio average 39 of the Cowboys 70 points a game as Guidry leads the way with 17.0 points and 12.6 rebounds per contest.
 
Guidry set a new school record against Central Michigan when his 13 points and 15 rebounds chalked up his ninth-consecutive double-double, breaking the mark of eight set by David Lawrence in the late 70s. His nine double-doubles also ranks as the second-most in the NCAA and his rebounding average tops the nation in the latest stats release by the NCAA.
 
Guidry also leads the nation with 5.3 offensive rebounds a game.
 
Hardy is second on the team with 11.5 points and 6.7 rebounds and is the conference leader and is fifth in the country with 3.0 steals per game. Hardy is the most exciting player on the team with several highlight reel dunks and will enter the game with a team-high 22 slams on the season.
 
Garrett has started to find his range from behind the three-point arc the last few games. After hitting jus 6 of 30 through the first five games, he's connected on 13 of 30 in the last five and is ranked third on the team with a 10.4 scoring average.
 
Mississippi State has three players scoring in double-figures – Roquez Johnson at 12.2, Fred Thomas 11.9, and Gavin Ware 10.4. The Bulldogs are averaging 63 points a game while giving up 57.
 
Following Tuesday's game, the Cowboys will be back in action on Saturday when they host defending conference champion Stephen F. Austin at 3 p.m. to open league play.
 
GAMEDAY NOTES:
• Desharick Guidry became the 13^th player in school history to record 700 career rebounds when he pulled down 15 against Central Michigan in his last outing. His 712 ranks him 12^th on the all-time list.
• Guidry needs 13 points to reach 1,000 in his career (28^th all-time). With those 13 points and 10 more assists, he'll become the first player in school history to record 1,000 points, 700 rebounds, 100 steals and 100 assits in a career.
• Kevin Hardy is ranked 3^rd on the all-time career list with 186 steals and needs three to pass Hall of Famer Joe Dumars for 2^nd and 21 to pass Demond Mallet as the all-time leader.
• Hardy has 342 career assists to rank 5^th all-time. He has scored 864 career points, has 524 career rebounds, and 83 blocks. He's looking to become the first player in school history to record 1,000 points, 300 assists and 200 steals in a career.
• McNeese leads the conference with fewest turnovers per game (10.8) and fewest total turnovers committed (108). The Cowboys are ranked 8^th in the nation in fewest total turnovers and 22^nd in fewest turnovers per game.
• Austin Lewis leads the SLC and is ranked 7^th in the NCAA with 3.3 blocked shots per game.
• McNeese is 3-49 all-time against the SEC (0-3 vs. Alabama; 0-1 vs. Arkansas; 0-3 vs. Auburn; 0-1 vs. Florida; 0-23 vs. LSU; 1-8 vs. Ole Miss; 1-6 vs. Mississippi State; 0-1 vs. Missouri (Big 12 member at the time); 1-4 vs. Texas A&M (0-1 as SEC member).