BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – McNeese will wrap up its four-game, two-week road swing on Tuesday when it takes on the UAB Blazers for the first-ever meeting between the two schools.
Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at UAB's Bartow Arena. The game will broadcast live on ESPN+ and also on the McNeese Radio Network (Magic 92.1 FM and mymagiclc.com).
The Cowboys (5-2) are off to their best start through seven games since the 1976-77 team began the season at 9-2. McNeese is coming off a 1-1 showing at the Louisiana Tech MTE last week where it defeated Texas State, 59-48, and fell 71-62 to Louisiana Tech.
UAB (4-2) has won four-straight since starting the season 0-2. The Blazers beat Furman, 92-86, in their last outing on Saturday. Their two losses are by a combined three points (73-71 in overtime vs. Bradley; 77-76 at Clemson).
COWBOY PLAYER NOTES
Christian Shumate:
• Became just the 12th player in McNeese basketball history to join the 1,000 points/600 rebounds in a career club in the two games at the Louisiana Tech MTE last week.
• Shumate's nine rebounds against Texas State last Tuesday moved him past 600, then added to it with six rebounds on Wednesday against Louisiana Tech, giving him 613 in his career and ranking him 18th on the school's all-time list.
• On Wednesday against the Bulldogs, he scored 15 points to push him past 1,000 in his career, ending the game with 1,003 points and ranking him 32nd in school history.
• He's also recorded three double-doubles on the season, giving him 24 in his career and threatening the school career mark of 31 held by Desharick Guidry (2011-14).
• Shumate tops the league in total rebounds (63, 26th in NCAA), offensive rebounds per game (3.7, 27th in NCAA) and rebounds per game (9.0, 50th in NCAA).
Shahada Wells:
• Recorded his 200th career assist at Louisiana Tech last Wednesday when he dished out a season-high 5.
• Double-digit scorer in five games with a career-high 37 points at Western Carolina where he played all 40 minutes and connected on 14 of 24 shots, including 4-5 from 3FG range.
• Ranked 1st in the Southland Conference and 16th in NCAA with 17 total steals and is 1st in SLC and 34th in NCAA with 2.4 steals per game.
Antavion Collum:
• Led the Cowboys in scoring two times and in rebounds three times.
• Recorded his first double-double on the season and second in his career with 15 points and 11 rebounds against Texas State last Tuesday at the Louisiana Tech MTE... the rebounds tied a career high.
• Scored in double-figures four times with a high of 26 points against the College of Biblical Studies on Nov. 10.
• Ranked 9th in SLC with 6.0 rebounds per game, 8th with 12 total steals and 11th with 1.7 steals per game.
Omar Cooper:
• Leads the Southland Conference and ranked 10th in the nation in assist/turnover ratio (5.5).
• 5th in the league with 22 total assists and 3.1 assists per game.
• 3rd in SLC with 14 total steals and 5th with 2.0 spg.
ABOUT UAB
• Guard Eric Gaines was named a preseason All-AAC first team selection.
• Gaines leads the team and is ranked 12
th in the AAC with 15.3 points scored per game.
• He played for McNeese head coach
Will Wade for two seasons at LSU before transferring to UAB.
• Forward Javian Davis is sixth in the league with 7.7 rebounds per game
• Blazers were picked for a fourth-place finish in the preseason poll, following 2023 Final Four participant Florida Atlantic, Memphis and Tulane.
