THIBODAUX – McNeese took one step closer to clinching its first Southland Conference championship in 13 years and did it in dominating fashion as the Cowboys used a physical and suffocating defense to help them cruise to a 74-47 win over Nicholls and clinching a Division I school record 23^rd win.
 
Now at 23-3 overall, McNeese is 12-1 in league play and holds a 3 1/2-game lead over the Colonels, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Lamar in the standings. McNeese can take another step closer to clinching its first league title since 2010-11 with a win at home against UIW next Saturday. The Cowboys are off on Monday.
 
Nicholls fell to 13-12 overall and 8-4 in the conference while losing for just the second time at home this season.
 
McNeese surpassed the previous record for wins in a season as a Division I school that was set by the 2000-01 team. The school record in all seasons is 33 that was set by the 1955-56 team that won the NAIA national championship.
 
Christian Shumate led four Cowboy players in double-figure scoring with 12 points to go along with his 12 rebounds to record his seventh double-double on the year and 29^th in his career. It's also his third straight double-double.
 
Shumate's 11^th of his 12 rebounds marked the 800^th in his career while he becomes only the sixth player in school history to record 1,000 points and 800 rebounds.
 
Shahada Wells and Javohn Garcia added 11 points each while Antavion Collum scored 10. Wells also dished out five assists and had four steals.
 
Diante Smith scored 13 to lead the Colonels while Rob Brown III added 10.
 
McNeese led 29-22 at the half then came out of the locker room and held the Colonels scoreless through the first 3 ½ minutes of the second half as it built a 36-22 lead behind a 7-0 run to start the frame.
 
Nicholls scored five straight to cut the deficit back into single digits but the Cowboys responded with a 16-3 run over the next 5:33 with one of the baskets nearly blowing the roof off Stopher Gym by the approximately 500 Cowboy fans that made the trip when Shumate threw down one of his patented ShuSlams – a one-handed, reach-back alley-oop dunk off a transition pass from Wells.
 
The lead continued to grow as the Cowboys connected on night straight shots at one point and helping the lead grow to 61-36 with 6:13 remaining following a DJ Richards Jr. three-pointer.
 
The Cowboys grabbed their largest lead with 1:15 to play after Roberts Berze's layup that gave his squad a 72-43 lead.
 
McNeese connected on 53% from the field (27 for 51) including 64% in the second half where it made 16 of 25. Nicholls shot just 31% (15-48) for the game and 24% (7-29) in the second half.
 
Notebook:
• The 22 points McNeese allowed in the first half are the fewest by a conference opponent this season.
• It's the sixth time this year, including fourth straight game, the Cowboys have held an opponent to less than 30 points in the first half.
• The last time McNeese held a conference opponent to under 50 points for the game was back on Jan. 18, 2012 (47 by Southeastern).
• McNeese has held opponents to the three lowest point totals among all Southland Conference schools in league play – 47 by Nicholls (Feb. 17), 51 by Texas A&M-Commerce (Feb. 5), 54 by HCU (Feb. 12).
• Christian Shumate's 29^th career double-double ties him at No. 6 in the Southland Conference record book.
• Shumate blocked a shot for the 22^nd straight game.
• With four steals, Shahada Wells increased his season total to 69 which ranks tied as the 4^th-most in a season in school history.
• Wells also has 118 assists on the season, ranking No. 21 on the single-season record list.
• McNeese's No. 1 NCAA ranking in scoring margin increased to 19.5 after the win.
• The Cowboys have won their last two games by an average score of 89.5-50.5.
• McNeese is tied with four other teams in the NCAA with 23 wins, the second-most in the nation; #1 UConn tops the NCAA with 24 victories.
• The nine road wins are the second-most in the nation.