HUNTSVILLE, Texas – McNeese basketball will reach the midway point of the Southland Conference season on Wednesday when the Cowboys travel to take on first place Sam Houston State.
 
Tip-off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at SHSU's Johnson Coliseum. The game will air live on the McNeese Radio Network (1290 AM) and online at CajunRadio.com. It'll also broadcast live on ESPN3.
 
The Cowboys (7-14, 3-5 SLC) are sitting in ninth place in the league standings and are coming off an 85-74 loss to Lamar this past Saturday. SHSU is 14-8 on the season and 9-0 in league play and has won 10 straight. The Bearkats' last loss was at Utah Valley State on Dec. 22.
 
WHAT HEAD COACH HEATH SCHROYER IS SAYING ABOUT SHSU
"We're playing the best team in the league. They're playing great. The thing that has been so impressive to me is that their level of consistency over the last five years where they've won 110 basketball games heading into this year. I have the utmost respect for (coach) Jason (Hooten) and his staff and the program that they've built and how they've built it.
 
"They're starting four seniors this year, three of those fifth-year seniors. Those guys have been in their program for a long time. They play with great confidence. They're very sure about themselves. Why wouldn't they be and why shouldn't they be.
 
"We're obviously going to have to go over there and play well. I think we had a good day of practice yesterday (Monday) and will have a good one today (Tuesday)."
 
FIRST WEDNESDAY GAME IN THREE WEEKS
Wednesday's contest at SHSU will be the first Wednesday game for the Cowboys since a Jan. 16 victory over Nicholls. The Cowboys have had an open date the last two Wednesdays.
 
It'll also be the first road game for McNeese since Jan. 12 at New Orleans.  
 
ROYDELL BROWN CONTINUES HOT STREAK
Junior guard Roydell Brown is coming off a 26-point outing against Lamar this past Saturday. It was his fourth-straight 20-point game and sixth on the season.
 
Brown is the team leader in scoring with a 14.1 average, which also ranks him ninth in the league. In SLC games only, he's averaging 19.9 points, good for second in the league.
 
In his current 20-point streak cover four games, he's averaging 25.8 points while connecting on 64 percent of his shots (39 of 61).
 
SLAMMING IT DOWN
McNeese has recorded 59 dunks on the season, an average of 2.8 per game. Sha'Markus Kennedy leads the team with 21, followed by Roydell Brown with 19.
 
DISHING THEM OUT
Graduate guard Trey Touchet has been quite the ball feeder over the last few games, averaging 5.0 assists over the last six games.
 
In conference games only, he's ranked sixth in the league with a 4.3 average and is first in assist/turnover ratio with a 4.3 mark.
 
During that six-game stretch, he's turned the ball over just five times.
 
NEXT UP
McNeese will return home on Saturday for a doubleheader against Northwestern State. Tip-off will follow a 1 p.m. game between the Cowgirls and Lady Demons.