LAKE CHARLES – The "Battle for the Bye" begins on Thursday when McNeese hosts Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at 7:30 in the Legacy Center.
 
The Cowboys (4-7 SLC, 10-18 overall) sit a half-game behind the Islanders (4-6, 17-10) and HBU (4-6, 8-15) for the No. 4 spot in the standings, one that will receive a first round bye in the March 9-12 Southland Conference Men's Basketball Tournament.
 
Also in the hunt is Northwestern State (4-7, 8-20), making it a four-team sprint for that final spot with just a week remaining in the regular season.
 
"We have everything to play for," said head coach John Aiken. "We have an opportunity to play for a bye in the conference tournament. We have the players and the ability to get hot and make a run in the tournament. That's what matters ultimately, what you do in the conference tournament."
 
McNeese will host UIW on Saturday in the final home game of the season then will close out the regular season at HBU on Saturday, March 5. AMCC will play at HBU on Saturday followed by a home game against Nicholls and visit to UIW next week while Northwestern State hosts Nicholls, New Orleans and Southeastern to close out the regular season.
 
Game Day Notes
• Three of the Cowboys' conference losses this year have been by 5 points while all but two have been by less than 10 points.
• McNeese is 0-2 vs. AMCC this season (L, 67-54 at SLC Tip-Off Classic; L 60-56 at AMCC).
• The Cowboys played without Brendan Medley-Bacon in the second matchup against the Islanders.
• McNeese has dropped 12 straight against AMCC with the last win coming on Jan. 10, 2013 in Lake Charles by a 75-71 score.
• Three Cowboys are averaging double-figures in scoring on the season – Christian Shumate at 12.5, Zach Scott 10.3 and Myles Lewis 10.0.
• Scott, who did not play against Nicholls last time out, leads the league in conference games only in 3FG shooting (.492), 3FG made per game (3.2) and total 3FG made (32).
• Christian Shumate has scored 10 or more 10 straight games and is averaging 18.8 ppg over the last 5 contests.
• Trae English has scored double-digits in 2 of the last 3 games.
• Myles Lewis has netted 10 points in each of the last two games and has connected on 16 of 27 (59.3 percent) over the last five games.
• The game will feature two of the top three rebounding teams in the league – McNeese (1^st, 40.1) and AMCC (3^rd, 38.4).
• Shumate led McNeese with 19 points last outing against the Islanders while Scott added 13.
• Thursday's game will be just the 10^th home game of the season for the Cowboys and sixth played in the Legacy Center. McNeese has played 19 games away from home this season.
• After falling behind 44-27 with 11 turnovers at halftime to UNO in the last outing, the Cowboys outscored the Privateers 48-44 in the second half while turning the ball over just seven times.
• AMCC's Isaac Mushila leads the conference in rebounding with a 10.0 overall average and is pulling down 12.5 boards in conference games only.
• Mushila is second in the conference with 11 double-doubles on the season.
• Corpus snapped a five-game losing streak last Saturday with an 83-76 win over Northwestern State.