LAKE CHARLES - The three-time defending Southland Conference Tournament Champion McNeese Cowboys will tip-off its Southland Conference schedule on December 5 when they host HCU, the first of 11 home Southland Conference games played in Townsley Law Arena in 2026-27 as the league office announced the conference slate for all teams on Thursday.
 
McNeese will follow two days later with a home game against UIW. The remainder of the league home schedule has the first Battle of the Border of the season on Jan. 2 followed by a matchup of last year's tournament title game against Stephen F. Austin on Jan. 4.
 
UTRGV, with new head coach and former Cowboys assistant Brandon Chambers, visiting Townsley on Jan. 16 and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Jan. 18. After that, McNeese will play five of its next six league games away from home and will play just one home game in nearly a month span when it hosts Southeastern on Jan. 30.
 
Four of the final six regular season games will be played at home: Feb. 13 vs. East Texas A&M, Feb. 15 vs. Northwestern State, Feb. 27 vs. Nicholls and March 1 vs. LSUNO.
 
McNeese will once again host the postseason Southland Conference Tournament March 7-10.
 
Under head coach Bill Armstrong, the Cowboys posted a 28-6 record last season, including a 15-0 mark at home, and went 19-3 in league play. McNeese won its third-straight tournament title after beating SFA 76-59 in front of a Townsley Law Arena record crowd to make its third-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.
 
During the three-year championship run, McNeese has compiled a 48-1 record at home, 86-17 overall, and 55-5 in Southland Conference games.
 
Dating back to the end of the 2022-23 season, McNeese has won 31-straight regular season conference games at home and 37-consecutive home wins over league opponents when factoring tournament games.
 
Fans will be able to get an early look at the Cowboys on October 8 when they host the Will Wade-coached LSU Tigers at 6:30 in an open scrimmage. Tickets are still on sale for that event but are going fast.
 
McNeese will tip-off the season on Nov. 2 when it plays UAB in the Field of 68 Opening Day Marathon. Tip-off for that contest will be 4:30 p.m. and will be played in Rock Hill. South Carolina.
 
The remainder of the 2026-27 schedule is expected to be released in the coming days.
 
2026-27 McNeese Cowboys Southland Conference Schedule
Dec. 5 vs. HCU
Dec. 7 vs. UIW
Dec. 19 at Northwestern State
Dec. 21 at East Texas A&M
Jan. 2 vs. Lamar
Jan. 4 vs. Stephen F. Austin
Jan. 9 at Southeastern
Jan. 11 at Nicholls
Jan. 16 vs. UTRGV
Jan. 18 vs. A&M-Corpus Christi
Jan. 23 at Stephen F. Austin
Jan. 26 at Lamar
Jan. 30 vs. Southeastern
Feb. 1 at LSUNO
Feb. 6 at UIW
Feb. 8 at HCU
Feb. 13 vs. East Texas A&M
Feb. 15 vs. Northwestern State
Feb. 20 at A&M-Corpus Christi
Feb. 22 at UTRGV
Feb. 27 vs. Nicholls
Mar. 1 vs. LSUNO
Mar. 7-10 Southland Conference Tournament (Townsley Law Arena, Lake Charles, La.)