McNeese men's basketball coach Bill Armstrong holds us the Southland Conference Tournament championship. -- Photo by McNeese Athletics
The defending three-time Southland Conference Tournament champion McNeese Cowboys basketball team has been selected as the overwhelming favorite to make it four-in-a-row by league coaches and sports information directors with the unveiling of the men’s basketball preseason poll on Tuesday.
McNeese collected 11 of the 12 first-place votes, beating out Stephen F. Austin in the preseason poll. The Cowboys posted a 28-6 record last season, including a 19-3 mark in Southland Conference play, and defeated SFA 76-59 in the conference tournament championship game to capture their third straight title and NCAA Tournament berth.
The Cowboys will try to become only the second team in league history to win four straight tournament titles (ULM from 1990-93).
“While it may not have any tangible value, it’s another indication of our community’s and university’s commitment to excellence,” said second-year head coach Bill Armstrong. “We understand the expectations that come with our program, but we also want our players to recognize that those standards were established by the teams that came before us. Our responsibility is to honor that tradition and continue building on the success they’ve created.”
McNeese returns league Freshman of the Year and Louisiana Player and Freshman of the Year Larry Johnson who set a new school freshman scoring record last season with 592 points, breaking the record held by Joe Dumars for 44 years.
Jerrell Colbert (5.6 ppg, 4.1 rpg) and Carl Cherenfant (4.1 ppg, 3.0 rpg) join Johnson as regulars from last year’s team.
The Cowboys added some size and talent to join Johnson, Colbert and Cherenfant this season, six of those new players coming from Power 4 leagues which includes junior forward Corey Chest (6-8, 220, Ole Miss), junior forward Alier Maluk (6-11, 220, Florida State), sophomore guard Choppa Moore (6-4, 180, Syracuse), sophomore forward Christian Nitu (6-11, 220, Washington), junior guard Dellquan Warren (6-2, 185, Mississippi State), and sophomore guard Jaylon Dean-Vines (6-4, 182, Vanderbilt).
McNeese begins the season on November 2 against UAB in the Field of 68 Opening Day Marathon at Rock Hill, South Carolina. The Cowboys will open up conference play on Dec. 5 at home against HCU.
The McNeese women’s basketball, the reigning Southland Conference regular season champions, have been picked fifth in the SLC preseason poll.
Under first-year head coach Ashton Feldhaus, McNeese returns two players (Carley Hamilton, Avari Berry) from a team that had a record-breaking season last year with a 29-6 overall record and a 21-1 conference record.
“We have a new staff, a brand-new team, and a lot to prove,” said head coach Ashton Feldhaus. “With so many new pieces, nobody really knows what to expect from us, and we’re okay with that. Our focus is on building something special, establishing our identity, and competing at a high level every day. We’re excited about what this group can become, and we’re looking forward to showing people what McNeese Cowgirls basketball is all about. “
Despite a new staff and new team, the Cowgirls picked up one first-place vote. Lamar, the preseason favorite, picked up six first-place votes while Stephen F. Austin, the SLC Tournament champs, garnered five first-place votes.
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