LIVE STATS

TEMPE, Ariz. – McNeese will continue its season-opening road trip out west on Friday when the Cowboys visit the Bobby Hurley-coached Arizona Sun Devils in the Wells Fargo Arena.
 
Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. central time. The game will air live on the Pac-12 Network, which is a subscription-based channel.
 
McNeese (0-1) is coming off a hard-fought, 85-67 loss at Saint Mary's in the season opener on Wednesday night.
 
Led by Malik Hines' 26 points in his Cowboy debut, McNeese went toe-to-toe with a program that won 30 games last season and has averaged 26 wins the last 10 years.
 
Now the Cowboys will go up against a program that posted a 20-12 mark last season and qualified for the NCAA Tournament.
 
The Sun Devils graduated their top three scorers from last season but returns six key contributors from a year ago including sophomore Remy Martin who is the reigning Pac-12 Co-Sixth Man of the Year after averaging 9.6 points and 3.0 rebounds.
 
"ASU is extremely talented," said McNeese head coach Heath Schroyer. "They are big, strong and physical with high-level athletes."
 
The Sun Devils defeated Cal State Fullerton 102-94 in overtime in their opener on Tuesday night.
 
In that game, true freshman guard Dort Luguentz scored 28 points to lead five players in double-figures. He also hauled in a team-high nine rebounds, one of three players to corral nine boards in the game. As a team, ASU pulled in 58 boards with 20 of those on the offensive glass and leading to 19 second chance points.
 
"They really rebound the ball well," said Schroyer. "I'm really impressed with their ability to shoot the ball. They apply so much pressure on the rim off the dribble."
 
The Cowboys will stay with the same starting five as they did in the opener – Kevin Hunt at point guard, James Harvey and Brown at guard, Will Robinson at forward and Hines at center.
 
McNeese trailed by 11 at the half against Saint Mary's and scored the first four points of the second half to pull to within seven points. But the Gaels had a couple of break-away baskets off turnovers and knocked down some threes to help pull away from the Cowboys.
 
Friday's game will be the second-ever meeting against the Sun Devils. The first came in the 2003-04 season with Arizona State posting an 81-61 win in Tempe.
 
"This is another great challenge for our team," said Schroyer. "Our guys are excited to compete."
 
Following Friday's game, McNeese will open its home slate on Nov. 16 against Loyola of New Orleans.