McNeese Set To Face UIW in Southland Opener Monday Night

San Antonio, Texas (KNGT-FM) - A little earlier than usual, but the two-time defending Southland Champion McNeese Cowboys are set to tip off Southland Conference action on Monday Night in San Antonio.

The Bayou Bandits are fresh off an impressive few days in the Cayman Islands, where McNeese captured the Cayman Islands Classic with wins over George Washington, Murray State, and Middle Tennessee.

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The Cowboys will take that momentum and their 5-game winning streak to San Antonio on Monday Night, where they will open up Southland Conference play against Incarnate Word. This year, conference play will be a bit more challenging with the SLC announcing they will move to an expanded schedule moving forward, where every team will play each other twice.

Head coach Bill Armstrong says the Cowboys are more than ready for what’s ahead. “Monday is when the real season begins for us,” Armstrong said. “We’re excited to get into conference play. Our goal is simple - win the league. That’s the standard here.”

All eyes will be on Javohn Garcia, the reigning Southland Player of the Year. Garcia is coming off an MVP performance in the Cayman Islands Classic, scoring 59 points across three games. He matched his career high with 26 points against Middle Tennessee and continues to show why he’s one of the most steady players in the league.

Redshirt freshman Larry Johnson leads the Cowboys in scoring at 18.6 points per game, ranking fourth in the Southland. Garcia follows with 13.7, while Tysahwn Archie adds 13.1. McNeese leads the entire conference in scoring offense at 93 points per game and in scoring defense at 66.3.

READ MORE: McNeese Named One of the South's Top Schools in 2025

McNeese Men's Basketball Set For SLC Opener Against UIW

Since Will Wade was brought to McNeese three years ago, the McNeese Cowboys have dominated the Southland Conference. New Head Coach Bill Armstrong didn’t shy away from the expectations that come with defending a conference title. “The conference is what matters,” he said. “We have to come ready to play every night. People are always going to play us hard, and we have to match that.”

Incarnate Word (4-3) comes into Monday’s matchup as one of the Southland’s most explosive offensive teams. The Cardinals sit second in the league at 88.9 points per game and are fresh off a dominant 117-55 win over Texas Lutheran. UIW also boasts the conference’s top two scorers - Davion Bailey (20 ppg) and Tahj Staveskie (19.1 ppg).