LAKE CHARLES – Friendly foes will meet up in Burton Coliseum on Saturday afternoon when the McNeese Cowboys host the Northwestern State Demons in the second half of a Southland Conference doubleheader.
Tip-off will take place 30 minutes following the conclusion of a women's game between the Cowgirls and Lady Demons.
Saturday is also Rowdy's Birthday Party for all of the Rowdy's Kids Club members beginning at 12:30. All members are invited to attend.
The Cowboys (3-12, 1-4 SLC) are looking to get back on track after an 8-point loss at Abilene Christian on Tuesday and just three days following a big win over Sam Houston State to give it its first league loss.
Head coach
Dave Simmons, who was a member of the Demons' coaching staff from 1999-2006 under NSU head coach Mike McConathy, will be changing up the lineup a bit by starting true freshman
James Harvey in place of
Lance Potier.
Harvey has come on strong the last two games, averaging 18.5 points while hitting 9 of 15 from 3-point range. With his 23 points against the Bearkats, Harvey became the first true freshman since 2009 (Patrick Richard scored 24 at Nicholls on Jan. 28, 2009) and just the fourth time since 2000 a rookie scored 20 or more in a game.
"He's been working extremely hard in practice and it's been showing in the games," said Simmons of Harvey.
Harvey and guard
Jarren Greenwood will give the Cowboys two true freshmen in the starting lineup for the first time since March 10, 2012 when
Desharick Guidry and
Kevin Hardy both started against Lamar.
Greenwood (22) and Harvey (21) are ranked 1 and 2 on the team in 3-point field goals made followed by junior point guard
Jamaya Burr (20) who leads the team with 15 points per game.
The Demons (3-13, 0-6) have had a rough season since they lost all-conference guard Jalan West to a knee injury suffered at Ole Miss in the season opener.
NSU, who was projected to give Stephen F. Austin a run for the title, has dropped six straight games, all conference, and are 1-8 away from home on the season.
The Demons have the league's top scorer in Zeek Woodley (21.8 ppg) while the team themselves are averaging 76.5 per contest, nine points more on offense than the Cowboys.
McNeese leads the all-time series by a 60-58 margin but has lost the last six meetings.
