LAKE CHARLES – McNeese returns to Burton Coliseum on Saturday afternoon at 1 when the Cowboys host longtime rival Louisiana-Lafayette in a game that will be televised live on Cox Sports TV.
The Cowboys (2-4) are coming off an 80-68 loss to Texas State on Tuesday in a game that saw McNeese spot the Bobcats a 19-point halftime lead before clawing its way back into it in the second half.
ULL (5-2) whipped Nicholls 101-69 in its first game back in the Cajundome after the facility went through thorough modifications. The Cajuns have won five straight games since dropping their first two of the season.
"We know we're going to be facing a really good team that is well coached," said McNeese head coach
Dave Simmons who is 6-4 against ULL and 5-0 against the Cajuns in Lake Charles. "We're going to have to do a good job of rebounding the basketball and making our shots."
The lack of making shots doomed McNeese in the first half against the Bobcats as the Cowboys hit just 30 percent from the field in the first 20 minutes. McNeese came back to make 48 percent in the second half but hit a lull midway through the frame when both teams went scoreless in a 4-minute span.
LaBarrius Hill continues to improve every game for the Cowboys. The JC transfer led McNeese with 15 points and 9 rebounds on the night after hitting 7 of 9 from the field. Hill has started the last four games and has scored in double-figures in three of those. His 4.8 rebounds per game is second on the team and he's averaging right at seven boards per contest.
Jarren Greenwood has taken over the team scoring lead at 13 ppg. The sophomore has hit double-figures in five straight games and is coming off a 13 point outing at Texas State. Following Greenwood is
Jamaya Burr with 12 points a game and a team-high 5.0 assists that also ranks him tied for second in the Southland Conference.
James Harvey is averaging 10.6 ppg while
Kalob Ledoux has a 10.0 average.
The Cajuns also have four players scoring in double-digits on the season, led by Frank Bartley's 19.0 clip.
The 6-foot-3 junior is coming off a 19-point game against Nicholls and has scored 20 or more three times with a high of 29 points against Montana State in the second game of the season.
ULL leads the all-time series by a 56-35 margin and defeated the Cowboys 97-64 last year in Lafayette.
McNeese has won the last five matchups in Lake Charles, including by an 80-70 margin in December of 2014.
