MORAGA, Calif. – Chapter 1 of the new look McNeese Cowboys basketball program gets underway on Wednesday when the Cowboys visit the Saint Mary's Gaels in the 2018-19 season opener then will follow that up with a Friday night game at Arizona State.
 
Tip-off is scheduled for 9 p.m. (CST). The game will stream live on the West Coast Conference website.
 
New McNeese head coach Heath Schroyer and his staff has worked tirelessly since the announcing of his hiring back in March, bringing in 10 new players to a program that's looking to post its first winning season since the 2011-12 slate.
 
"Our goal is always to compete for a conference championship," said Schroyer. "We want to win the league and get to the NCAA Tournament and if you get to the NCAA Tournament, these are the type of teams you're going to play."
 
Saint Mary's, a member of the West Coast Conference, has been to 10 straight NCAA or NIT tournaments and posted a 30-6 record last season. The Gaels advanced to the quarterfinals of the NIT, beating Southland Conference champion Southeastern Louisiana 89-45 in the first round and Pac-12 member Washington 85-81 in the second round before falling to Utah.
 
The year prior, St. Mary's advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, falling to Arizona.
 
This preseason, the Gaels defeated Stanford in a non-advertised scrimmage.
 
"We're going to find out a lot about ourselves," said Schroyer. "Both of these teams are very well coached. St. Mary's has averaged 26 wins a season for 10 straight years and probably one of the most consistent teams in the country.
 
"They (St. Mary's) don't beat themselves. We're going to have to execute at a very high level and control the game."
 
The starting five for the Cowboys is not set in stone but Schroyer did give a hint on what it could be with returner James Harvey (G) along with newcomers Kevin Hunt (PG), Roydell Brown (G), Will Robinson (F), and Malik Hines (C). Coming off the bench will be returners Jarren Greenwood, Richard Laku and AJ Brown and newcomers Trey Touchet and Shamarkus Kennedy.
 
"I play eight or nine guys," said Schroyer. "We'll redshirt Jeremy Harrell, Trey Johnson, Spencer Foley and AJ Lawson. Those four guys will sit out, which I'm really excited about."
 
Harvey and Touchet are the two best shooters on the team with Greenwood proving he can make shots. Hines, having played at UMass, has played at a high level and along with Touchet (UTEP), the Cowboys will rely on those two for experience.
 
Roydell Brown, Hines, Robinson and Kennedy are all good rebounders and can score as well.
 
"I'm happy with our guys," said Schroyer. "They've worked extremely hard. They're all excited to be here and excited to help write Chapter 1 of this new book. I've said all along, we're writing a new book for this program. This year is Chapter 1 and these guys have really bought into that."
 
McNeese's style of play will be an inside-out game on offense.
 
"I'm very analytical," said Schroyer. "We want to try to score right at the basket, get to the free throw line and utilize the three-point line. Those are the three highest points per possession shots you can get. The highest percentage shot is right there at the rim."
 
After Friday's game at Arizona State, McNeese will make its home debut on Nov. 16 when it hosts Loyola of New Orleans.