LAKE CHARLES – McNeese will host New Orleans and Southeastern on December 28 and 30 to open defense of its 2024 Southland Conference Men's Basketball Championship.
 
The Southland Conference announced the 2024-25 league slate on Friday, and with the addition of Stephen F. Austin and UTRGV to the league, conference competition will increase from 18 games to 20 – 10 home and 10 away.
 
McNeese finished 30-4 last season and 17-1 in league play with its only blemish being a three-point setback at Southeastern to start the month of February.
 
A home game to mark on the calendar will be January 20 when McNeese hosts Stephen F. Austin, who returns to the league after spending the last three seasons as a member of the WAC.  Two days prior the Cowboys will host rival Lamar on Jan. 18.
 
Other home conference games include: Nicholls (Jan. 11), UIW (Feb. 3), Northwestern State (Feb. 8), A&M-Commerce (Feb. 10), A&M-Corpus Christi (Feb. 22) and newcomer UTRGV (Feb. 24).
 
McNeese dominated the league last season, outscoring opponents by an 80-63 score. The Cowboys went 9-0 in home league games, outscoring opponents 84-64. McNeese went 18-0 overall in the Legacy Center.
 
The 2025 Southland Conference Men's and Women's Basketball Tournaments will return to Lake Charles and the Legacy Center in March.
 
The Cowboys are expecting to release its full 2024-25 schedule in the coming weeks.
 
McNeese 2024-25 Southland Conference Men's Basketball Schedule
Dec. 28 vs. New Orleans
Dec. 30 vs. Southeastern
Jan. 4 at A&M-Commerce
Jan. 6 at Northwestern State
Jan. 11 vs. Nicholls
Jan. 13 at HCU
Jan. 18 vs. Lamar
Jan. 20 vs. Stephen F. Austin
Jan. 25 at UTRGV
Jan. 27 at A&M-Corpus Christi
Feb. 1 at Nicholls
Feb. 3 vs. Incarnate Word
Feb. 8 vs. Northwestern State
Feb. 10 vs. A&M-Commerce
Feb. 15 at New Orleans
Feb. 17 at Southeastern
Feb. 22 vs. A&M-Corpus Christi
Feb. 24 vs. UTRGV
Mar. 1 at Lamar
Mar. 3 at Stephen F. Austin