McNeese (9-2, 2-1 SLC) at HCU (5-5, 0-1)
Monday, December 14, 2025
Sharp Gymnasium • Houston, Texas
 
Time: 7 p.m.
TV: ESPN+ (LINK)
Live Stats: (LINK)
 
HOUSTON – McNeese will carry its hot streak into Monday night's Southland Conference game at HCU for its final game until after the Christmas holiday.
 
Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at HCU's Sharp Gym. The game will broadcast on ESPN+.
 
The Cowboys (9-2, 2-1 SLC) are coming off a 102-66 rout over East Texas A&M on Friday night. In that game, Tyshawn Archie scored a career-high for his second straight game, this time netting 24 points coming off the bench. Larry Johnson added 17 points and DJ Richards Jr. 16 points, both also off the bench, while Javohn Garcia scored 11.
 
HCU (5-5, 0-1) dropped a 74-71 overtime game to Southeastern at home in its first league game on Saturday.
 
McNeese is expected to start the same five players it has put on the court the last three games which has resulted in three wins by an average score of 86.7-61.3, a scoring margin of +25.4 points.
 
Javohn Garcia has been the only constant starter this season, starting all 11 games and is third on the team with a 12.8 scoring average. Likely to join him in the lineup with be team scoring leader Larry Johnson (16.1), Garwey Dual (9.3), Carl Cherenfant (6.4), and Peitok Machar (5.1).
 
The Cowboys lead the Southland Conference in 16 stat categories, including scoring offense (88.9), scoring defense (65.4), and scoring margin (23.5) which the Cowboys are ranked No. 8 in the nation.
 
McNeese leads the league and is second in the nation in four areas – bench points per game (43.7), fastbreak points per game (22.6), turnover margin (8.6), and turnovers forced per game (19.2). The Cowboys are also No. 3 in the NCAA with 12.0 steals per game, a category where Garwey leads the league and is 18^th in the nation with 2.6 per game.
 
The Cowboys have won three straight in the series, including last year's 75-59 victory in Houston in the only matchup of the season between the two. Both Richards Jr. and Garcia scored 16 points to lead the team.
 
Monday's game will be a homecoming for six Cowboy players who are from Houston – Richards Jr., Dual, Archie, Jerrell Colbert, Jacolb Fredson-Cole, and Erik Villarreal.
 
HCU will make a return trip to Lake Charles on February 9.
 
Worth noting: McNeese is ranked No. 45 in the latest NCAA NET rankings, its highest ranking of the season. The Cowboys are No. 70 in the Kenpom, the second-highest rating on the year.