LAKE CHARLES –
Christian Shumate scored 18 points with 10 rebounds to record his 31
st-career double-double, one shy of matching the school record, and McNeese won for the 24
th time on Saturday afternoon, defeating UIW 87-71 in Southland Conference action in front of 4,213 fans for the fifth sellout on the season.
Antavion Collum added 14 points,
Shahada Wells 12 points and seven assists, and
Javohn Garcia 11 points as McNeese improved to 24-3 overall and 13-1 in conference play while maintaining a three-game lead in the league standings.
The Cowboys will return to action on Monday night at Lamar with a chance to lock up a double-bye in the postseason tournament.
UIW (8-19, 3-11) played without four players who were suspended following last Monday's postgame altercation with Texas A&M-Commerce, but those four players had minimal impact for the Cardinals in McNeese's 14-point win in San Antonio last month.
On Saturday, McNeese cruised to a 44-21 halftime lead and were well in control, but the Cardinals weren't going down without a fight and scored 50 second-half points behind 71% shooting, including nine three-pointers.
McNeese was too strong as Collum helped squash any second half momentum UIW built with a couple of threes as he scored 12 of his 14 points in 16 second-half minutes.
Shumate played 20 minutes on the day and just six in the second half. He once again ignited the crowd with his electrifying dunks, a season-high five to be exact, with the final one a throw down off a backboard pass from Wells early in the second half.
Five Cardinals scored in double-digits and were led by TJ Ford Jr.'s 14 points behind 4 for 4 shooting from three-point range. Shon Robinson and Sky Wicks each scored 13, Dylan Hayman added 12 and Davante Dennis 10.
McNeese turned the ball over just four times in the game while forcing 19 by UIW where the Cowboys scored 27 points. The Cowboys also held a 39-33 advantage on the glass and pulled in 16 offensive rebounds, scoring 20 second chance points.
The Cowboys connected on 45% from the field (31-69) and 7 of 27 from behind the arc. McNeese hit 18 of 26 at the free throw line. UIW shot 48% (25-52) for the game, 12-27 from three-point range (44%) and 9 of 13 (69%) at the line.
Notebook:
• With seven assists,
Shahada Wells surpassed the 300-career assist mark, now with 303.
• Those assists also increases his season total to 125 and ranking him tied for 16
th on the McNeese single-season record list.
• Wells increased his season steals total to 76, ranking as the fourth-most in a season in school history and nine steals from moving to No. 2.
•
Christian Shumate's 10 rebounds increased his season total to 261, tying him for 20
th on the McNeese single-season record list.
• His five offensive boards increased his season total to 95 and is six away from moving to No. 5 on the school's season record list.
• Shumate now has 811 career rebounds, lifting him to No. 8
th on the school's record list.
• Shumate recorded his 10
th double-double on the year and 31
st in his career, moving him to within one of tying the McNeese school record; it also tied him at No. 5 in SLC history.
• The Cowboys are now 14-0 at home, one win shy of matching the school record for home wins in a season.
• McNeese has now scored 70 or more points in 13 of the 14 home games this season and 80 or more nine times.
• The Cowboys have beaten opponents by 10 or more points 18 times this season.
• Head coach
Will Wade improved his career record to 212-97 and is now 16-1 at McNeese; it's the best start in his coaching history.
