KALAMAZOO, Michigan – Season No. 2 of the Heath Schroyer era will get underway for the McNeese Cowboys on Wednesday when a new-looking group takes on Western Michigan at 7 p.m.
 
The game will stream live on ESPN-plus.
 
The Cowboys return starters Roydell Brown and Sha'Markus Kennedy, both whom were named to the preseason All-Southland Conference team, as well as versatile A.J. Lawson who had to sit out last season due to transfer rules.
 
"Our intensity level in practice the last four of five days has gotten better," said Schroyer. "Everyone is excited to play. I like our group a lot. It's time to get started."
 
Brown, Kennedy and Lawson are expected to be in the starting lineup while newcomer guards Dru Kuxhausen and Sam Baker could make up the starting five.
 
Sophomore guard Trey Johnson, who saw 20 games last season as a true freshman, will miss the opener with a calf strain but is expected to be a starter when he returns.
 
Both Brown and Kennedy accounted for 42 percent of the Cowboys' rebounding and 35 percent of the scoring last season despite Brown missing the last eight games of the season due to an ankle injury.
 
Brown led the team in both scoring (14.5 ppg) and rebounding (9.5 rpg) while Kennedy was second on the squad in both categories (13.1 scoring, 7.1 rebounding) and ranked third in the Southland Conference with 59 total blocked shots and a 1.9 per game average. Kennedy also led the league by hitting 64 percent of his shots.
 
"They're obviously farther ahead (of the rest of the team)," said Schroyer about the returners. "They have really bought into and they champion our culture. That's the one thing I think that I'm really impressed with is that the returners know what's expected on and off the floor and they've taken on a leadership role within the team."
 
Kuxhausen will bring McNeese something it hasn't seen in a while, a sharp-shooter from the perimeter.
 
"Dru is an elite shooter," said Schroyer. "I think he's as good as any shooter in the country. He has an unbelievable skill set and has deep rage, but he also gets the ball off quick. He's going to score the ball. He just brings a dimension that we didn't have last year and is someone that can consistently knock down perimeter shots at a high clip.
 
"A.J. (Lawson) is a 6-foot-5 point guard who is big and strong," said Schroyer. "He can really play four positions. He can score a lot of ways and can really pass. But not only can he pass, he's a willing facilitator. He can fill the stat sheet because he can rebound, he can score, and he can get the ball where it needs to go. He's a difference maker."
 
The Broncos are a member of the Mid-Atlantic Conference (MAC) and posted an 8-24 record last season and 2-16 in league play.
 
WMU was picked for a fifth place finish in the MAC West Preseason Coaches' poll while junior guard Michael Flowers was named to the preseason All-MAC West team. The Broncos return 11 lettermen and three starters from last year's squad.
 
The Broncos are coached by Steve Hawkins who is in his 17^th season at WMU, 25^th overall, and is the longest tenured coach in the Mid-American Conference.
 
This will be the first-ever meeting between McNeese and WMU and the third game for the Cowboys against a member of the MAC. McNeese is 0-2 against Toledo.
 
Following Wednesday's game, the Cowboys will visit Louisiana-Lafayette at 7 on Saturday then will open up their home season on Monday night at 7 against Southern-New Orleans.