McNeese Hoops In Paradise Jam Finals Monday Night

The McNeese State Cowboys will play for an Island Championship on Monday Night.

After a bit of a sluggish start to the season with an Opening Night loss to South Dakota State, Will Wade and his Bayou Bandits seem to have turned a corner and it began with the 8-point loss to Alabama. Since that game, McNeese is 3-0 with all wins coming against opponents toward the top of their respective conferences.

Sincere Parker used a massive 2nd Half for McNeese to defeat previously undefeated Longwood 84-69. Parker, the transfer from St. Louis scored a season-best 31 points, including an impressive 27 in the second half.

The win sets up a championship showdown with Liberty on Monday night at 7 p.m. CT in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. Liberty, now 5-1, pulled off a thrilling 67-65 upset over Kansas State in the late semifinal game.

McNeese’s defense was relentless, forcing Longwood into 20 turnovers and converting those mistakes into 37 points. This victory marks the Cowboys’ third straight win, improving their season record to 4-2. Longwood, last season’s Southern Conference champion, dropped to 6-1 with the loss.

The Cowboys' offense was firing on all cylinders, shooting a season-best 62% from the field. They were even hotter in the second half, sinking 18 of their 23 shots for an impressive 78% shooting. McNeese dominated inside, scoring 52 points in the paint—double Longwood’s total.

Christian Shumate and Joe Charles each contributed 12 points to the Cowboys’ effort. Shumate added three of his signature “Shu Slams,” and Charles led the team with six rebounds. The pair also showcased their range, hitting two three-pointers apiece.

McNeese State will face off against Liberty on Monday Night. This will be the third meeting between the Cowboys and Flames with McNeese holding a 2-0 lead. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ with Brad Wells (PxP) and Kevin Lehman (Analyst).