LAKE CHARLES – The Bill Armstrong era of McNeese Bayou Bandits Basketball will tip-off on Monday night when the two-time defensive Southland Conference champion and NCAA Tournament Cowboys host Champion Christian in the Townsley Law Arena at 6:30 p.m.
 
The Cowboys, who posted a 28-7 record last season and captured the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament win (69-67 vs. Clemson), returns two starters and four players from that squad while it team reloaded with 11 newcomers including nine transfers (eight from other Division I programs).
 
Armstrong was named the Cowboys' head coach last spring, replacing his good friend Will Wade to is now the head coach at North Carolina State.
 
The chain of command might be different but the goals are the same – win a third straight conference championship, a spot in the NCAA Tournament, and advancing to the second weekend of the Big Dance.
 
Helping put that to fruition will be the reigning SLC Player of the Year in Javohn Garcia and conference three-point champion DJ Richards Jr.
 
"The standard is the standard," said Armstrong. "We expect to play for championships here and now. We expect to win tournament games. Our expectations are just as high as the fans. We want to win be expected to win every game."
 
Garcia averaged 12.6 points last season. In addition to being named the league's player of the year, he garnered SLC Tournament MVP honors and was named the top player in Louisiana. He led the Cowboys with 24 double-digit scoring games and scored 20 or more six times.
 
Richards Jr. was also recognized by the state media with honorable mention honors. The sharp-shooter sank 43% from three-point range and knocked down 85 total threes, the seventh-most in a season in school history. He'll enter the season with 163 career 3s made ranking him seventh all-time in the McNeese record book.
 
A week ago, the Cowboys defeated Grambling in an exhibition game which saw 10 players contribute with all playing at least 15 minutes. That depth and the length of the squad will add to the advantage the Cowboys will have over opponents this season.
 
SMU transfer Jerrell Colbert (6-10, 235-pounds), Peitok Machar (6-10, 215), Jacolb Fredson-Cole (6-7, 220 transfer from Oklahoma), Yanis Ndjonga (6-8, 220 Baylor transfer), Garwey Dual (6-5, 205 transfer from Seton Hall), Tyshawn Archie (6-1, 165 transfer from Tulsa), Larry Johnson (6-4, 200 transfer from Creighton), and Carl Cherenfant (6-5, 195 transfer from New Mexico State), will all contribute.
 
McNeese is expected to repeat as champions according to most publications. The Cowboys were recently listed at No. 20 in the preseason CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 poll.
 
Also this past week, McNeese was listed as one of 17 teams that could win 30 games according to ESPN.
 
Following Monday's game, the Cowboys will travel to take on Santa Clara on Friday at 9 p.m. Central Time on ESPN+ and will return home next Monday night (Nov. 10) vs. Biblical Studies at 6:30.