LAKE CHARLES – Redshirt freshman
Collin Warren scored a career-high 18 points coming off the bench, including a second half highlight-reel, reach back ally-oop dunk as McNeese cruised to a 96-53 win over Carver College on Saturday night.
The win evened the Cowboys' record to 2-2 on the season as they prepare to host Arlington Baptist in back-to-back games on Monday and Tuesday.
Warren hit 8 of his 9 shots on the night and was one of five players to score in double-digits.
Dru Kuxhausen added 17 points, hitting five three-pointers in the process. KeyShawn Feazell recorded his second double-double of the season with 15 points and 13 rebounds while
Chris Orlina and
Ra'Shawn Langston each scored 10 points.
But it wasn't all fun and games. McNeese turned the ball over 17 times, including 11 in the first half, and set the Cougars to the free throw line 40 times.
"It's great to get a win but I don't think we played particularly well," said head coach
Heath Schroyer. "We sure put them on the line a lot. To put a team at the line 40 times, it's not what we teach, it's not what we stress or emphasize. It happened tonight.
"We were really careless with the ball, especially in the first half. But I thought we settled down in the second half."
True freshman
Braelon Bush got his first collegiate start and did a good job of running the offense as he finished with eight assists, six points and three steals in 29 minutes of action.
"He had another solid game," said Schroyer about Bush. "He's a really good player. But when you have a freshman at point guard you're just going to have to go through some growing pains."
Orlina also got his first career start after putting up a great showing at Stephen F. Austin when leading the team with 20 points.
"Chris has earned the start with the way he's been playing, especially after his game against SFA," said Schroyer.
McNeese led 44-29 at the half. The only thing that kept the Cougars in the game the first 20 minutes was hitting 16 of 22 at the free throw line.
Five minutes into the second half Carver trailed 52-35 when McNeese rolled off a 22-4 run over the next six minutes to go up 74-39 after Warren dropped in two free throws. The Cowboys built their largest lead at 92-48 after a
Ra'Shawn Langston three-pointer then he ended the scoring with a basket with 22 seconds to play.
The Cowboys knocked down 57 percent from the field, hitting 38 of 67 shots, marking the third straight game to connect over 50 percent from the floor.
Paul Hepburn led Carver with 12 points as the Cougars hit just 12 of 47 from the field for 26 percent and drained 27 of 40 from the free throw line.
"We just need games," said Schroyer. "We had Alabama State come in here and they canceled then we had Youngstown and they canceled. We just need to play games to work out a lot of kinks before we begin league play."
