LAKE CHARLES – Coming off an impressive double-digit win over VCU on Monday night, the McNeese Cowboys, aka The Bayou Bandits, will make their highly anticipated home debut on Friday afternoon when they host the College of Biblical Studies.
 
Tip-off is scheduled for 4 p.m. and admission will be just $5 for general admission seats. It's the first of three straight home games for the Cowboys in the next five days (Monday at 7 vs. Champion Christian; Tuesday at 7 vs. LeTourneau).
 
The game can be followed on live stats here https://mcneesesports.com/sidearmstats/mbball/summary
 
McNeese (1-0) opened the eyes of the college basketball world on Monday night with its 76-65 win over the defending Atlantic-10 and NCAA Round of 32 participant Rams.
 
"The curtain goes up on us on Friday," said first-year head coach Will Wade who will be serving the second game of his 10-game suspension that was handed down by the NCAA. "A lot of people didn't get to see us on ESPN Plus on Monday. That was a good first step but there's a lot more ahead."
 
In that game, the Cowboys turned the ball over just five times, twice in the second half, and never lost their composure even when VCU scored the final eight points of the second half to cut into a 20-point McNeese lead. The Rams got as close as seven points a couple of times in the second half but McNeese answered with big three-point shots from DJ Richards, and one by Christian Shumate, that seemed to took the air away from the VCU sail.
 
Shahada Wells led McNeese with 23 points in the game to go along with four assists and four steals. Shumate added 18 points and 17 rebounds to record his 22^nd career double-double and seventh straight dating back to last season. And Richards added 17 points behind 6 of 9 shooting, including 5 of 6 from three-point range.
 
Assistant coach Vernon Hamilton will act as the team's head coach against CBS after Brandon Chambers got the duties against his alma mater on Monday. The two will continue to alternate duties through Wade's suspension.
 
The CBS Ambassadors are located in Houston and will come into the Legacy Center with a 4-1 record. A member of the National Christian College Athletic Association, the team is coached by Danny Evans who has over 25 years of coaching experience.