LAKE CHARLES – Shahada Wells proved every bit of his worthiness as the Southland Conference Player of the Year in leading top-seeded McNeese to a 76-57 win over No. 4 Lamar behind a game-high 27 points in the semifinals of the league postseason tournament.
 
McNeese advances to take on NIcholls at 4 p.m. Monday afternoon on ESPN2 in the tournament championship game to earn the league's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. Nicholls, the No. 3 seed, defeated Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 81-73, in overtime in Tuesday's late game.
 
The Cowboys (29-3), who won for the 10^th straight time, never trailed in the game and started off with a bang behind back-to-back Christian Shumate dunks (Shu Slams). Shumate, the league's Defensive Player of the Year ended with 11 points and seven rebounds before fouling out with just over four minutes to play.
 
Javohn Garcia added 12 points for his ninth consecutive double-digit scoring game. Garcia scored 10 of his points in the first half as McNees built a 39-24 halftime lead over the Cardinals (19-14).
 
McNeese used a 9-0 run to build on a 16-9 lead to a 25-9 advantage over a three-minute span midway through the second half. Lamar, who was led in scoring by Terry Anderson's 16 points, got consecutive 3s from Errol White and Anderson to cut the deficit to 27-18 four minutes later but Shumate and CJ Felder reeled in balls of the offensive glass for putbacks for a quick four points, then Wells drained a step-back 3 at the 2:47 mark to put McNeese up 36-21.
 
The Cardinals' attempt to get back into the game midway through the second half when they cut the margin to 11 at 56-45, but DJ Richards Jr. sank a three and Wells followed up with a steal and fast-break layup to build the lead to 61-45 with 8:37 to play.
 
Anderson then connected on two free throws which led to an 8-0 run for the Cowboys with Wells scoring six of those, and building the advantage to 69-47 with 5:09 remaining. Lamar was not able to get any closer than 18 points the rest of the way.
 
McNeese dominated the paint on the night, outscoring Lamar 48-12. The Cowboys made 26 of its 43 two-point shots while holding Lamar to 8 of 18 two-pointers. Lamar did knock down 9 of 29 from three-point range but most of those came at a time where the Cardinals where well behind.
 
The Cowboys forced 17 turnovers, scoring 16 points while turning the ball over just six times on the night, three in each half, and Lamar getting only two points from them.
 
McNeese hit 52% on the night (29-56) while Lamar made just 36% (17-47).
 
The Cowboys will be making their seventh appearance in the tournament finals and first since 2012 where they fell to Lamar. McNeese is 2-4 in previous title games.
 
Notebook:
• McNeese won for the 10^th straight game and for the 24^th time in the last 25 outings.
• Shahada Wells' 27 points was his 11^th 20-point game of the season and the 27^th double-digit scoring game on the season in 31 games played.
• Javohn Garcia scored double-figures for the ninth straight game.
• The 29 wins ties as the second-most recorded in Southland Conference history.
• Head coach Will Wade improved to 21-1 on the season.
• The 19-point win marked the 22^nd time in 29 victories McNeese has beaten its opponent by double-figures.
• DJ Richards Jr.'s two three-point baskets increased his season total to 76 and moving him into a tie for 11^th in the school record book for most made in a season.
• McNeese and Nicholls will play in the tournament for the eighth time and second straight season; McNeese upset Nicholls 77-71 in last year's second round.
• The two have never played each other in the championship game.