McNeese to play in Emerald Coast Classic on Thanksgiving weekend

LAKE CHARLES – The McNeese Cowboys basketball team will take part in the 7th Annual Emerald Coast Classic that will take place Thanksgiving weekend Nov. 27-29 at The Arena on the campus of Northwest Florida State College in Niceville, Fla.

McNeese will be one of eight teams in the tournament field, joining Power 5 teams such as Florida, Oregon, Illinois and Iowa State as well as Louisiana-Monroe, Alabama A&M and North Florida.

“Having the opportunity to play in the Emerald Coast Classic is exciting,” said head coach Heath Schroyer. “I think it’s a great opportunity to get a chance to play quality teams from the Power 5 conferences who are all perennial NCAA Tournament teams. Florida and Oregon have been two of the best programs in college basketball the last few years. Playing teams like those always make you better.

“The other part of the classic I’m really excited about is getting to play at least two games against a quality opponent on a neutral court and in back-to-back days. That will help us prepare for our conference tournament.”

Florida, Oregon and Iowa State all competed in the 2019 NCAA Tournament. This season, Oregon compiled a 24-7 record and ranked 13th in the latest AP Top 25 poll before the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Illinois finished 21-10 and ranked 21st in the poll. The remaining field records saw Florida finish at 18-11, Iowa State 12-17, ULM 9-19 and Alabama State 8-20.

McNeese posted a 15-17 record on the year in Schroyer’s second season, winning six more games than the previous year.

First and second-round games of the classic will be played at on-campus sites with four third-round games played on Nov. 27. Consolation round games are scheduled Nov. 28 with the third-place and championship game set for Nov. 29.

The Emerald Coast Classic is presented by Global Sports which has produced 45 multi-team college basketball tournaments in the past 12 years.

Emerald Coast Classic History
2019 — Florida State, champion; Purdue, runner-up
2018 — Cincinnati, champion; Mississippi, runner-up
2017 — TCU, champion; St. Bonaventure, runner-up
2016 — Virginia, champion; Providence, runner-up
2015 — Iowa State, champion; Illinois, runner-up
2014 — Mississippi, champion; Cincinnati, runner-up