McNeese’s magical regular season ends with win at UNO

NEW ORLEANS – McNeese capped off the 2023-24 regular season with more record-breaking performances in its 81-57 win Wednesday night over New Orleans at Lakefront Arena.

The victory improved the Cowboys’ record to 28-3 overall and 17-1 in Southland Conference play. The Cowboys are one of only two teams in the NCAA with 28 wins (James Madison). The 17 league wins ties a school record for most in a season with the 2000-01 and 2001-02 back-to-back championship teams. That number is also tied as the third-most won in a season in conference history.

Christian Shumate ended the night with 15 points and 16 rebounds to record his 33rd career double-double, which places him alone atop the school’s mark in career double-doubles and fourth all-time in conference history.

Shumate was one of four Cowboys that scored 14 points or more. Javohn Garcia and DJ Richards Jr. added 15 points each while Shahada Wells scored 14 to go along with three assists and three steals.

UNO fell to 9-22 overall and 4-14 in league play but made its way into the postseason tournament as the No. 8 seed after both UIW and HCU lost.

McNeese hit 51% from the field for the game (30-59) and sank 7 of 14 from three-point range as Garcia (1-3) and Richards Jr. (3-4) combined to knock down 4 of 7. Shumate added a 3 in two attempts and posted his best game at the free throw line, making 3 of 4.

Shumate’s 16 rebounds were the third-most in his career behind his high of 21 he hauled in at UAB earlier this year and the 17 he recorded his freshman season against Arlington Baptist.

The Privateers were led in scoring by Jordan Johnson’s 21 points while Carlos Hart scored 10.

The Cowboys, who were playing without CJ Felder who stayed home with an illness, jumped out to a 22-9 lead in the first nine minutes after a 10-0 run was highlighted by bak-to-back 3s from Shumate and Richards Jr.

UNO went on a 7-0 run itself to cut the margin to 22-16 but McNeese scored five quick points off a Garcia 3 and Omar Cooper driving layup to get the lead back to double-digits as the Cowboys would eventually take a 41-30 lead into the half.

McNeese started to pull away from UNO midway through the second half and went up by double-figures for good on a jumper by Wells with 13:49 to play to make it 49-39.

Mike Saunders Jr. hit a 3 at the 11:22 mark to make it 54-41 and after UNO answered with a trey by Hart to cut the deficit to 10, Richards Jr. had an answer of his own with another 3 to build the lead up to 57-44.

Leading 60-48 at the 7:25 mark, the Cowboys appeared to lay the dagger when Richards Jr. drained his third 3 of the game followed by a beautifully executed Euro Step layup by Cam Jones to give the Cowboys their largest lead of the game at 17 points, 65-48 with 5:51 to play.

Three minutes later and the bench getting in on the action, Roberts Berze put McNeese up by 20k at 76-56 with a layup then J’Johnn Brown scored five straight points to end the game and give the Cowboys the 24-point win to mark third 21st double-digit victory on the season and 11th with a 20 or more points advantage.

Next up, the Cowboys will be in action on Tuesday at 5:30 in the semifinal round of the Southland Conference Tournament. The Privateers move on to a first round matchup with No. 5 Southeastern Louisiana on Sunday at 5 p.m. inside the Legacy Center.

Notebook:
• The win improved on McNeese’s regular-season school record of victories to 28.
• McNeese is joined by James Madison as the only teams in the NCAA with 28 wins.
• 17 league wins ties a school record with the 2000-01 and 2001-02 SLC championship Cowboys.
• The 17 conference wins is the third-most won in a season in league history.
• The .944 conference winning percentage is a school record and is the third-best percentage in league history with 10 or more conference games played.
• McNeese compiled a 12-3 road record, the most road wins in school history in a regular season.
• In addition, the Cowboys finished 8-1 on the road in league play, tying the school record held by the 2000-01 team.
• The Cowboys won for the ninth-straight time on Wednesday night, marking the second time this season winning nine or more games and is one of only five teams in the nation to do so.
• Head coach Will Wade improved to 20-1 at the helm, the best record in his career through the first 21 games.
• Wade has recorded 20 or more wins in seven of his 10 years as a head coach.
• With his 16 rebounds on the night, Shumate now has 300 on the season which ranks as the 12th-most in school history in a single-season.
• Shumate pulled in six offensive boards, giving him 112 on the year and moving him up to No. 4 in school history in a season.
• Richards Jr.’s three 3s increases his season total to 74 and tying him at No. 13 in the single-season record book.