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On the opening day of the college basketball season, the McNeese Cowboys were in Sioux Falls, South Dakota for the Field of 68 Showcase. The Jackrabbits get big performances from a pair of freshmen to pick up the 80-73 win.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Both the Cowboys and Jackrabbits got off to solid starts in this season opener as South Dakota State led McNeese 8-7 at the first media timeout with 14:42 to go. Christian Shumate led the Pokes with 5 while Joe Sayler had all eight of SDSU’s points.
Both teams struggled to shoot in the next stretch as only eight points were scored over the next three minutes with the Jackrabbits holding a 13-10 lead at the 11:30 mark of the first half.
With 7:58 remaining in the half, McNeese kept it close at 15-14. The Cowboys shot 4-17 from the field in the first 12 minutes and Alyn Breed led the way with seven points for the Pokes. Sayler continued to lead SDSU with eight.
These two teams stayed tight throughout the end of the first half as the game was tied at 33-33 in Sioux Falls. McNeese shot 30% from three in that first half to keep the game close.
Early in the second half, the offense was clicking for South Dakota State as they scored 21 points in the first seven minutes of the half, holding a lead as large as 10 as the score read 54-48 Jackrabbits with 13 minutes to go.
South Dakota State started to run away with things during this run, taking a 64-57 lead at the under-eight media timeout with 7:44 to go. Breed continued to lead McNeese with 16 in his Cowboys debut, but the Pokes are shooting 42% from the field as a team. McNeese quickly cut it to three with a sequence of a three-pointer from former Cajuns star Joe Charles, a steal by Charles, and a three-pointer from Jahvon Garcia to put it at 66-63.
At the final timeout of the season opener, McNeese trailed 75-72 after a clutch basket from Breed, putting him at a tie for the game-high with 18 points, tying Sayler from SDSU.
South Dakota State was able to get to a huge corner three from freshman Owen Larson to seal an 80-73 win for the Jackrabbits.
BIG NUMBER: 12
South Dakota State was able to grab 12 offensive rebounds against McNeese, leading to 13 second-chance points down the stretch.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Oscar Cluff
Cluff was the biggest man on the floor and played like it, scoring 14 points on 6-10 shooting while adding 14 rebounds.
UP NEXT: McNeese will return to Lake Charles to take on the College of Biblical Studies on Thursday night. Tipoff from the Legacy Center is set for 7:30 p.m.