McNeese to play in 13th Annual Legends Classic

LAKE CHARLES – The McNeese Cowboys will take part in the 2019 Legends Classic presented by Old Trapper which will have the team participating in regional round games at Wisconsin, at Richmond, and at New Mexico.

The 13th annual Legends Classic is highlighted by Final Four participant Auburn and will also feature squads from Colgate, Green Bay and Cal State Northridge.

The Cowboys will visit Wisconsin on November 13, New Mexico on Nov. 16, and Richmond on Nov. 22.

“We were looking for an MTE (multiple-team event) that fit our schedule and the Legends Classic did that,” said second-year McNeese head coach Heath Schroyer. “We’re playing three really good teams. All of them have great home court venues and will be very challenging.

“The schedule we are putting together, including the Legends Classic, will help us prepare for a challenging 20-game Southland Conference schedule this season.”

McNeese returns the team’s top two scorers and rebounders from a year ago – senior guard Roydell Brown who led the Cowboys in scoring (14.5 ppg) and rebounding (9.5 rpg) in earning honorable mention All-Southland Conference while senior forward Sha’Markus Kennedy recorded 13.1 pg, 7.1 rpg, and 59 blocked shots on the season.

Wisconsin, coached by Greg Gard who is entering his fifth season, is coming off its 20th NCAA Tournament bid in the last 21 years and its 15th 20-win season in the last 17 after posting a 23-11 record.

The Badgers feature a starting lineup with three juniors, led by guard D’Mitrik Trice, who averaged 11.6 ppg to go along with 90 assists; backcourt mate Brad Davison had 36 steals and netted 10.5 ppg; and forward Nate Reuvers averaged 7.9 ppg and 3.9 rpg with a team-high 60 blocked shots.

New Mexico is coached by Paul Weir who is entering his third season at the helm and will welcome back three starters and five of the top six scorers from this past year’s squad – swingman Vance Jackson was second among the Lobos with a 13.1 ppg average and 7.0 rpg average and forward Carlton Bragg topped the Lobos with an 8.8 rpg average while netting 10.5 ppg. UNM will also welcome back Ohio State transfer JaQuan Lyle, a junior who sat out last season due to injury. The Lobos’ New signature win of the year was downing then-No. 5 Nevada, 85-58.

Richmond is expecting to return all five starters for 15th-year head coach Chris Mooney, who is the school’s all-time winning coach. Three juniors lead the returnees, spearheaded by Grant Golden, the Spiders’ leading scorer (17.2 ppg) and rebounder (7.1 rpg). Guard Jacob Gilyard had a team-best 160 assists and averaged 16.2 ppg while forward Nathan Cayo scored at a 12.9 ppg clip. Also expected back is guard Nick Sherod, who averaged 12.7 ppg before a season-ending injury six games into the season.

All four teams will be making their debut in the Legends Classic.