NATCHITOCHES – McNeese will put its seven-game winning streak on the line Monday night when the Cowboys visit long-time rival Northwestern State.
 
Tip-off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at NSU's Prather Coliseum. The game will broadcast live on ESPN+ as well as the McNeese Radio Network (Magic 92.1 and mymagiclc.com).
 
McNeese (12-2, 1-0) defeated Texas A&M-Commerce 73-67 on Saturday to begin Southland Conference play, rallying from a 12-point second half deficit. In the game, Shahada Wells scored 25 points with 10 rebounds, both team highs, while Antavion Collum added 20 points.
 
Wells will enter Monday night's game second in the league in scoring with a 19.8 per game average. The reigning Southland Conference, Louisiana, and Lute Olson National Player of the Year has scored 20 or more in two straight games and four out of the last six.
 
Christian Shumate is second on the team with a 12.1 scoring average while topping the conference with 9.3 rebounds per game. DJ Richards Jr. is coming off the bench to added 11.6 points while Collum is scoring 10.5 per game.
 
The Demons (2-12, 0-1), who dropped a 90-70 league-opening game at Lamar on Saturday night, will begin a three-game home stand on Monday. The Demons are 2-2 on their home court this season.
 
NSU is led in scoring by junior guard Cliff Davis who is sinking 16.3 points per game while leading the Southland with 4.0 3-pointers made per game and a 43% aim on shots from behind the arc.
 
Notables:
• Cowboys' head coach Will Wade recorded his 200^th career victory against Texas A&M-Commerce on Saturday… Wade will enter Saturday's game 200-96 overall and in his 10^th season as a head coach.
• Wade is 2-0 against Northwestern State in his career with both wins coming when he was the head coach at LSU.
• McNeese is looking to go 2-0 in conference play for the second straight season but aiming for just the second time in school history to win its first two games on the road to start league play (1984-85).
• Saturday's matchup will be the 136th in the series history with McNeese holding a tight 69-66 lead.
• The two teams split last year's series with McNeese winning 92-77 in Lake Charles while NSU taking an 89-75 victory in Natchitoches.
• The teams have split the last 10 games, McNeese going 1-3 in Natchitoches during that span.
• NSU starting point guard is Braelon Bush who signed with the Cowboys out of Silsbee HS (TX) and played for McNeese in 2020-21.