ANN ARBOR, Michigan – McNeese basketball returns from a 12-day break in between games on Friday night when the Cowboys take on the Big Ten Conference's Michigan Wolverines.
Tip-off is slated for 6 p.m. Central Time at Michigan's Crisler Arena. The game will broadcast live on the B1G+ network, which is a subscription-based internet only stream that can be viewed on Apple TV, Roku, Firestick, Apple iPhones and iPads, and Android phones and tablets. The app is not available on smart TVs.
The Game:
• McNeese will put its 5-game winning streak on the line on Friday when it takes on the Michigan Wolverines in the first-ever matchup between the two schools.
• The Cowboys are coming off a 74-72 win over Louisiana-Lafayette on December 17 in their last outing, rallying from a 13-point deficit with just over 10 minutes to play in the game, after McNeese was whistled for three technical fouls and three players ejected, two of those starters.
• The win marked the fifth-straight for McNeese, marking the longest winning streak since the 2019-20 season when it won seven straight games.
• McNeese is 3-2 away from home this season.
• Michigan is 6-6 on the season and dropped a 106-101, double OT contest to Florida at the Jumpman Invitational on Dec. 19.
• The Wolverines are 3-2 at home this season.
• This will be the first-ever meeting against Michigan but the 10th against the B1G (0-9).
Season Notes:
• McNeese is 10-2 through the first 12 games for the first time in 51 years (1972-73 team started 11-2).
• The Cowboys are ranked No. 3 in the NCAA in scoring defense (57.8 ppg)... only once has an opponent scored 80 or more on the Cowboys (91-80- win over UT Martin) and three times scoring 70 or more.
• Six wins over D1 non-conference opponents is the most in school history since becoming a D1 school in 1972-73.
• The Cowboys' 74-72 win over ULL on Dec. 17 drew a Legacy Center record crowd of 4,300 fans, marking the first-ever sellout in the 6-year-old arena.
• Sophomore guard DJ Richards is the reigning Southland Conference Player of the Week after he averaged 20.5 points and connected on 63.2% of his shots (60% from 3FG range) in helping the Cowboys go 2-0 for the week... scored a career-high 24 points against Southern Miss and followed up with a 17-point contest against ULL... made 9 of 15 from 3-point range in the two games.
• Following wins over UAB and UT Martin,
Shahada Wells was named one of five Division I players who were recognized by the USBWA as Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week on Dec. 3 after he averaged 30.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game... he scored 36 points at UAB then netted 25 vs. UT Martin.
• Junior forward
Christian Shumate added his name to the 1,000/600 Club for the Cowboys, become just the 12th player in school history to score 1,000 points and pull in 600 rebounds in a career.
Dominating Defense:
• McNeese is ranked in the top four in the NCAA in four defensive categories - scoring defense (3rd, 57.8 ppg), field goal percent defense (4th, 36.5%), turnover margin (4th, 5.8), and steals per game (5th, 11.0).
• Through 12 games, only once has an opponent connected on 50% or more from the field (Western Carolina, 51.8%).
• Six times McNeese has held opponents to less than 40% shooting and nine times 45% or less.
• 10 times forced opponents into 10 or more turnovers and three times with 20 or more.
• Held opponents to 50 points or fewer five times and 65 and fewer eight times.
• PG
Omar Cooper is ranked 4th in the NCAA in assist/turnover ratio at 4.90.
• G
Shahada Wells is 21st in NCAA with 2.45 steals per game and 31st with 27 total steals
• F
Christian Shumate is 21st in NCAA with 9.8 rebounds per game, 20th with 3.5 offensive boards per game, and 23rd with 117 total rebounds.
• Forcing 15.3 turnovers per game, ranking 46th in the NCAA.
Offense Dealing as Well:
• Ranked 2nd in the Southland Conference and 71st in NCAA by scoring 80.2 points per game.
• 4th in NCAA in scoring margin with a 22.5 average advantage.
• Scored 80 or more points six times and 90 or more four times.
• Ranked 11th in the NCAA in FG shooting at 50.5 percent.
• Hit 50% or better from the field six times.
• No. 39 in NCAA in with a 2.25 assist/turnover ratio.
• Sinking 48% and averaging 73 ppg vs. its eight D1 opponents this season while opponents are hitting 40% from the field and scoring 65 ppg.
Cowboys up to No. 15 in Mid-Major Top 25; 7th in Cinderella Top 25:
• McNeese is making an appearance for the fourth straight week in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 poll, moving up one spot to No. 15 in this week's poll.
• The Cowboys made their first-ever appearance when it debuted at No. 22 following an impressive win at UAB.
• Other 2023-24 opponents in the ranking includes Western Carolina (No. 10) and Louisiana Tech, who is receiving votes.
• Gonzaga tops the poll followed by James Madison, Grand Canyon, Princeton and Indiana State to round out the top five.
• The Cowboys have moved up to No. 7 in this week's Field of 68 Cinderella Top 25.
