The McNeese Cowboys men’s basketball team traveled to Beaumont, Texas Monday night to try and complete the series sweep over Lamar. The Cardinals punched back after a couple of early swings by the Cowboys but Will Wade’s team overcame multiple deficits in the second half to defeat Lamar 58-56 on Mondy night to improve to 25-3 on the season and 14-1 in Southland Conference play.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
McNeese pressured Lamar’s half-court offense early, not allowing many clean looks and forcing a couple of turnovers in the first couple of minutes into the contest.
The Cardinals missed their first seven shots as the Cowboys went on an 8-2 run in the first four minutes. All four made shots by McNeese were mid-range jumpers with Shahada Wells making the first and Javohn Garcia lacing two within a minute of each other.
Head coach Will Wade’s defense gave up their first bucket almost six minutes into the game when Janko Bulajic converted on the floater. McNeese however jumped out to a 17-6 lead eight and a half minutes into the first half. DJ Richards Jr scored on the baseline while Wells made a couple of free throws and a three-point shot, and then CJ Felder got the easy dunk to put the Cowboys into an 11-point advantage.
Following a timeout by Lamar, Adam Hamilton sparked the Cardinals with a dunk, then blocked Felder on his dunk attempt, scored a layup on the following possession, and got the steal on Felder. The rest of the Lamar lineup forced turnovers and made shots, two of which were from downtown by Chris Pryor as the Cowboys gave up a 19-2 run over the next seven minutes.
It was back-and-forth for the remainder of the first half as each team scored six points in the final four and a half minutes. Richards knocked down a three with 23 seconds left but Ja’Sean Jackson made a layup at the two-second mark as McNeese headed into the half down 31-25.
Pryor scored the first basket of the second half but McNeese went on a 14-3 run. The run was influenced by plays by Wells, who had six points and four rebounds while Garcia hit another three for the Cowboys. Two of the three baskets by Wells were in transition where he either passed everyone or attacked a vulnerable Cardinal defense.
Lamar responded with an 8-0 run with three-pointers by Terry Anderson and Jackson. Hamilton also made a layup after returning from an eye injury but Wells continued to keep the Cowboys in the game. The senior guard scored eight straight, including two from deep on back-to-back possessions and Collum added on from the charity stripe to give McNeese the four-point lead with eight minutes to go.
A contested three by Anderson and a jumper by Pryor gave the Cardinals the lead but Garcia made the and-one off-balance shot coming out of a timeout and then Hamilton’s put-back layup tied the game at 51 with under five minutes to play.
Baskets by Errol White and Garcia made it a one-point lead in favor of McNeese due to a free throw by Collum but BB Knight’s three gave Lamar the two-point advantage with 46 seconds left.
Wells made one of two free throws to make it a one-point difference and then a three by Collum at the top of the key gave McNeese the lead with four seconds on the clock. Lamar called a timeout but had to go the length of the court for a chance to win or send the game into overtime. Anderson’s shot was off and the Cowboys survive the Monday night scare with a 58-56 win over Lamar to move up to 25-3 on the season and 14-1 in conference play.
BIG NUMBER: 1
Antavion Collum struggled to shoot the ball on Monday night but made his one and only shot when it mattered most, draining a three-pointer from the top of the key with four seconds to go as the Cowboys left the Montagne Center with the two-point victory.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Shahada Wells
Wells kept the Cowboys in the game and then the lead multiple times in the second half as he finished the game with 23 points on 8-20 shooting and 3-5 from three-point range. The senior also recorded six rebounds and three steals in the win.
UP NEXT: The McNeese Cowboys basketball team will return home on Saturday, March 2nd for a matchup against Nicholls. Tip-off in the Legacy Center is set for 4:00 p.m.