McNeese releases 2021-22 men’s basketball schedule

LAKE CHARLES – Visits to Power 5 conference members LSU, TCU and Kansas State as well as the season opener at SMU and trips to Seattle, Wyoming and UTEP, highlights the 2021-22 McNeese Cowboys basketball schedule, first-year head coach John Aiken announced on Monday.

The game at LSU (Nov. 18) is part of the Emerald Coast Classic and will continue Thanksgiving weekend in Destin, Florida when the Cowboys go up against St. Francis on Nov. 26 and will follow-up against either North Carolina A&T or Samford.

McNeese will play three games in the Pre-Southland Conference Tournament January 6-8 at The Merrell Center in Katy, Texas, the site of the 2022 SLC Postseason Tournament. Opponents have not been determined and will not be counted in the league standings.

The Cowboys will open the season on Nov. 9 at SMU and will follow with a Nov. 11 game at TCU. McNeese will open its home season on Nov. 15 against Champion Christian before visiting LSU on Nov. 18.

The Cowboys will play at Seattle on Dec. 1, at Wyoming on Dec. 4, at ULL (Dec. 8) and at UTEP (Dec. 16). Following a Dec. 18 home game against Dallas Christian, McNeese will take a trip to Kansas State on Dec. 21 before closing out the calendar year at home against Ecclessia College on Dec. 30.

“We have put together a very challenging and exciting non-conference schedule,” said Aiken. “When building the schedule, I knew that I wanted to challenge our group and I think we accomplished that with this schedule. I’m really excited to be able to take our team to LSU and to continue our rivalry against ULL. We aspire to be one of the top 2-3 programs in the state of Louisiana and feel fortunate to be able to test ourselves against those two programs.”

McNeese is scheduled to play its non-conference home slate in Burton Coliseum while The Legacy Center is being repaired due to the damage caused by hurricanes Laura and Delta. The Cowboys are anticipating being back in the arena for their January 15 conference opener against HBU.

The Cowboys will play four non-conference home games this season, but that is by design.

“We made the decision to play just four home non-conference games due to the continued renovations at The Legacy Center,” said Aiken. “We will play those games at Burton Coliseum and we are so fortunate and grateful to have that facility as our home this fall. I wanted to make sure the first game back in the Legacy Center would be when students were back on campus and the start of conference play, that being on January 15 when we host Houston Baptist. That game is going to be a very special night for our community and program.

“There is a great opportunity for our fans to travel and watch some really good basketball in great venues as we have three games against Power 5 or Plus 5 schools withing driving distance then a Thanksgiving tournament in Destin,” said Aiken. “Ten of our non-conference games are either in Lake Charles or within driving distance and I hope our fans take the opportunity to join us on the road.”

The Cowboys will play a 14-game conference slate with home games against HBU (Jan. 15), Nicholls (Jan. 27), New Orleans (Jan. 29), Southeastern Louisiana (Feb. 3), Northwestern State (Feb. 5), Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (Feb. 24) and Incarnate Word (Feb. 26).

The league slate will include double-headers with women’s basketball on both Thursdays and Saturdays this season instead of having a Wednesday mirror schedule and Saturday DH that has been done the past few years.

Season tickets for both the Cowboys and Cowgirls are currently on sale at the McNeese Ticket Office or by calling 337-475-4MSU.

2021-22 McNeese Cowboy Basketball Schedule
Nov. 9 at SMU
Nov. 11 at TCU
Nov. 15 CHAMPION CHRISTIAN
Nov. 18 at LSU^
Nov. 22 CARVER COLLEGE
Nov. 26 vs. St. Francis^ (Destin, Fla.)
Nov. 27 vs. NC A&T or Samford^ (Destin, Fla.)
Dec. 1 at Seattle
Dec. 4 at Wyoming
Dec. 8 at Louisiana-Lafayette
Dec. 16 at UTEP
Dec. 18 DALLAS CHRISTIAN
Dec. 21 at Kansas State
Dec. 30 ECCLESSIA COLLEGE
Jan. 6 at SLC Preseason Tournament (Katy, Texas)
Jan. 7 at SLC Preseason Tournament (Katy, Texas)
Jan. 8 at SLC Preseason Tournament (Katy, Texas)
Jan. 15 HOUSTON BAPTIST*
Jan. 20 at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi*
Jan. 22 at Incarnate Word*
Jan. 27 NICHOLLS*
Jan. 29 NEW ORLEANS*
Feb. 3 SOUTHEASTERN LA.*
Feb. 5 NORTHWESTERN STATE*
Feb. 10 at Southeastern La.*
Feb. 12 at Northwestern State*
Feb. 17 at Nicholls*
Feb. 19 at New Orleans*
Feb. 24 TEXAS A&M-CORPUS CHRISTI*
Feb. 26 INCARNATE WORD*
Mar. 5 at Houston Baptist*
Mar. 9-13 SLC Tournament (Katy, Texas)

^ – Emerald Coast Classic
* – Southland Conference games