NEW ORLEANS – A resilient McNeese Cowboy basketball team will attempt to corral its first Southland Conference win of the season on Saturday when it visits New Orleans at 6 p.m.
 
The game, which will follow a women's contest between the Cowgirls and Privateers, will broadcast live on the McNeese Radio Network (Magic 92.1 FM and mymagiclc.com).
 
The Cowboys (6-6, 0-3) are a few made free throws away from possibly being 2-1 in league play but coming off its second-worst defeat of the season, 83-61 at UIW. UNO is 2-9 overall and 1-2 in conference play and haven't played since beating UIW last Saturday.
 
"I'm proud of our guys," said head coach Heath Schroyer. "We've dealt with a lot of adversity before the season and then in the last two weeks we've had a lot of adversity with the COVID protocols and missing guys, and having a lot of injuries. You compound all of that, it's been a lot.
 
"When you think about it, not one of these kids has opted out (of the season). They've all stuck in there and have kept battling from August on. Obviously we have to play better and figure out how to get key stops and easy baskets. Everything has been a grind for us offensively. We haven't played great up to this point, but we've had chances to win. If we shoot 70 percent from the free throw line the first two games, we win both of those."
 
The Cowboys are averaging 87 points per game but just 68 points in three league games while hitting 43 percent from the field and 36 percent from three-point range.
 
KeyShawn Feazell tops the team in both scoring and rebounding, averging a double-double at 14.6 points and 11.4 boards per game. He's sinking 19.5 points in league games and has scored 17 and 22 points respectively in his last two games.
 
Following Feazell in the scoring department is Dru Kuxhausen with a 12.6 average, A.J. Lawson at 11.5 and Collin Warren with a 10.4 mark. Both Warren and Braelon Bush returned to action at UIW after missing the NSU game and several days of practice due to COVID protocol for contact tracing.
 
McNeese will be without starter Chris Orlina for the third straight game after he suffered a broken hand in the league opener against Central Arkansas. Also on the shelf will be key contributor Ra'Shawn Langston who is out indefinitely with an injury.
 
UNO has two players averaging double-digit points this season – Troy Green (15.9) and Damion Rosser (15.4).
 
The Privateers have dominated the series the past five years, winning nine of the last 11 meetings. The two teams split last year's series, McNeese winning 65-52 in New Orleans on Jan. 18 while UNO beat the Cowboys 82-77 in Lake Charles on Feb. 22.