HAMMOND – Javohn Garcia scored 18 points and Joe Charles added 17 to go along with 10 rebounds to lead McNeese to an 88-82 conference road win over Southeastern on Monday night and clinching a double-bye in the league's postseason tournament.
 
Five Cowboys scored in double-digits on the night. DJ Richard Jr. added 14 points behind four three-pointers made and T'Johnn Brown came off the bench to score a career-high 13 points. Christian Shumate added 10.
 
The win improved McNeese's record to 21-6 overall and 15-1 in conference and will go for at least a share of the league title on Saturday when it hosts A&M-Corpus Christi. Southeastern fell to 17-10 and 11-5 in the league and drops to third place in the standings, one game behind Lamar who defeated Northwestern State 75-65
 
McNeese jumped out to a fast start and built a 30-13 lead with 8:51 to play in the first half when the Lions closed out the rest of the half on a 28-14 as the Cowboys' lead was just 44-41 at the break.
 
The Cowboys came out strong in the second half and led 49-43 following a jumper by Shumate and 3 from Richards Jr. The Lions followed with a 13-0 run to go up 56-49 with 14:52 to play after three-straight made 3-pointers,
 
Charles, Brown and Garcia helped McNeese pull to withing 62-60 with 12:18 to play after three straight 3s from the trio, then another Charles trey at the 12:18 mark put McNeese back on top, 63-62. He later hit two free throws and sank another 3 after a Southeastern jumper and the Cowboys connected on 9 of 14 shots in the final 10:37 to pull away.
 
Richards Jr.'s three-pointer with 51 seconds remaining was the dagger that put McNeese up 85-75. Charles scored 11 of his points in the final 14 minutes while Garcia netted 10 in that span.
 
The Cowboys connected on 57 percent for the game (30-53) and 62 percent in the second half (16-26). McNeese sank 11 of 21 from three-point range and 17 of 26 at the free throw line. SLU made 44 percent from the field (27-61), 14 of 32 from long range and 15 of 18 at the line.
 
McNeese held a 35-29 advantage in rebounds.
 
Postgame Notebook:
• McNeese clinched a double-bye in the Southland Conference Tournament for the seconds straight season and will attempt to clinch at least a tie for the regular season title on Saturday when it hosts A&M-Corpus Christi.
• The win snaps a three-game losing streak at SLU's University Center and the first win since the 2020-21 season.
• The victory is the 51^st for McNeese over the last two seasons, setting a new school Division I record over a two-year span.
• Now 18-1 on the season when leading at the half.
• 13-1 when shooting 50% or better in the game and 6-0 when hitting 60% in the second half.
• With 14 points, Richards Jr. has now scored 985 in his career, 15 shy of the 1,000 milestone.
• Brandon Murray scored 7 points on the night to increase his career total to 963, just 37 short of 1,000.
• With 10 rebounds, Charles now has 687 in his career, needing 13 to reach 700.
• Richards Jr. has scored double-figures in 4 straight games and is 19 for 32 from 3-point range in that span.
• Joe Charles has pulled down 10 rebounds in back-to-back games for the first time this season while recording his third double-double on the year.