McNeese Cowboys News

Field of 68 organizes opening day marathon that features mid-major basketball programs

The 2026-27 college basketball season will open with a marathon event featuring 16 mid-major programs

AUGUST 11 • Associated Press

Corey Chest - Committed to McNeese Chest has committed to play for McNeese State for the 2026-27 season, per VerbalCommits.com.

Impact Chest will join the Cowboys following a single season with Ole Miss. The 6-foot-8 sophomore averaged 2.6 points and 3.8 rebounds in just 13.1 minutes per game across 34 contests for the Rebels this past season. He will retain two years of eligibility with McNeese moving forward.

APRIL 23 • ROTOWIRE

Alier Maluk - Lands at McNeese Maluk will transfer to McNeese State, per Austin Veezy of Nole Gameday.

Impact Maluks spent two quiet seasons at Florida State. In 2025-26, he averaged 1.6 points and 1.8 rebounds across a limited 6.6 minutes. He'll look to kickstart his career at McNeese State with two years of eligibility remaining.

APRIL 22 • ROTOWIRE

Elijah Moore - Committed to McNeese Moore has committed to play for McNeese State for the 2026-27 season, per Joe Tipton of On3.com.

Impact Moore will join the Cowboys following a single season with Utah. The 6-foot-4 sophomore appeared in just a single game for the Utes this past season for five minutes, missing his lone field goal attempt. The former Syracuse transfer will retain three years of eligibility with McNeese moving forward.

APRIL 16 • ROTOWIRE

Christian Nitu - Joining McNeese Nitu announced his commitment to play for McNeese State for the 2026-27 season via his X account Sunday.

Impact Nitu will join the Cowboys following a single season with Washington. The 6-foot-11 sophomore sat out the 2025-26 season, taking a redshirt on the year. The former Florida State transfer will retain three years of eligibility with McNeese moving forward.

APRIL 12 • ROTOWIRE

Larry Johnson - Returning to McNeese State Johnson has withdrawn his name from the transfer portal and will return to McNeese State for the 2026-27 season, according to PortalUpdates.

Impact Johnson didn't last long in the portal and decided to return to McNeese State for his sophomore year. He averaged 17.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.2 steals per game after an impressive freshman season in 2025-26.

APRIL 11 • ROTOWIRE

Vanderbilt rallies to beat McNeese for its first NCAA Tournament victory since 2012

Tyler Tanner had 26 points, seven rebounds and five assists, and Vanderbilt rallied to beat McNeese 78-68 on Thursday for its first victory in the NCAA Tournament since 2012

MARCH 19 • Associated Press

McNeese's boom box-carrying student manager Amir 'Aura' Khan runs it back in March Madness

Amir “Aura” Khan turned into a social media star at last year’s March Madness for leading McNeese out of the locker room carrying his giant, yellow, thumping boom box

MARCH 19 • Associated Press

Vanderbilt takes on McNeese in first round of NCAA Tournament

The No. 16 Vanderbilt Commodores play in the first round of the NCAA Tournament against the McNeese Cowboys

MARCH 19 • Associated Press

Vanderbilt faces McNeese in opening round of NCAA Tournament

The No. 16 Vanderbilt Commodores play in the first round of the NCAA Tournament against the McNeese Cowboys

MARCH 18 • Associated Press

Men's CBK AP Top 25: Purdue, St. John's Reenter Top 10

Duke is the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and No. 1 in the final AP Top 25 of the regular season, but there was movement all over the ra...

MARCH 16 • FOX SPORTS

Men's CBK AP Top 25: Purdue, St. John's Reenter Top 10

Tyshawn Archie - Forces five turnovers in Title game Archie ended Wednesday's 76-59 victory over Stephen F. Austin with 17 points (7-10 FG, 3-5 3Pt), three rebounds, five assists, two blocks and five steals over 35 minutes.

Impact Archie was a beast on the defensive end of the floor during Wednesday's win over the Lumberjacks in the Southland Conference Championship game, closing with five steals and two blocks in the contest. The 6-foot-1 junior was the Cowboys' second-leading scorer behind freshman phenom Larry Johnson, averaging 14.3 points, 1.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.7 steals across 33 games (25 starts). Archie was McNeese State's best outside shooting option this year, connecting on 37.4 percent of his looks from deep on 5.2 attempts per game. Archie will look to provide a scoring burst for the Cowboys during next week's NCAA Tournament opener.

MARCH 15 • ROTOWIRE

Larry Johnson - Efficient in Southland Championship Johnson supplied 18 points (6-11 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 5-6 FT), six rebounds, two assists and one steal across 31 minutes during Wednesday's 76-59 win over Stephen F. Austin.

Impact Johnson capped off an impressive season with an 18-point outing against the Lumberjacks in the Southland Conference Championship game. The 6-foot-4 true freshman guard led the Cowboys in scoring (17.5 points), and rebounding (5.5 rebounds), adding on 1.4 assists and 1.2 steals per game across 33 appearances (25 starts). Despite his youthful inexperience, Johnson will need to be the catalyst for McNeese State if they look to pull another upset run in March.

MARCH 15 • ROTOWIRE

Javohn Garcia - Takes over in Conference Championship Garcia supplied 31 points (11-18 FG, 5-8 3Pt, 4-4 FT), five rebounds, two blocks and three steals across 33 minutes during Wednesday's 76-59 victory over Stephen F. Austin.

Impact Garcia notched a career-high 31 points as the Cowboys took down the Lumberjacks in the Southland Tournament Finale. The 6-foot-3 senior put together a productive season as a two-way guard for the Cowboys, averaging 12 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.8 steals and 0.7 blocks across 29 starts. Garcia was also one of McNeese State's best options from behind the arc this season, cashing in on 37.3 percent of his looks from range (3.5 3PA per game). The 3-and-D guard will look to give opposing backcourts problems in their NCAA Tournament opener next week.

MARCH 15 • ROTOWIRE

Last Night in College Basketball: Iowa State Ended Arizona State's Season in Rout

Iowa State crushed Arizona State, BYU persists again, a huge night for Idaho basketball, SMU goes down and more from Wednesday's college bas...

MARCH 12 • FOX SPORTS

Last Night in College Basketball: Iowa State Ended Arizona State's Season in Rout

Garcia scores career-high 31 to lead McNeese over Stephen F. Austin 76-59 for Southland title

Javohn Garcia scored a career-high 31 points and made five 3-pointers, and No. 2 seed McNeese beat top-seeded Stephen F

MARCH 11 • Associated Press

SFA faces McNeese in Southland Championship game

The Stephen F

MARCH 11 • Associated Press

Johnson leads McNeese to 84-80 3OT win over UTRGV in Southland Conference Tournament semifinal

McNeese outlasts UT Rio Grande Valley in a wild triple-overtime Southland semifinal and earns a spot in the title game

MARCH 11 • Associated Press

McNeese Cowboys and UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros square off in Southland Tournament

The McNeese Cowboys and UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros play in the Southland Tournament

MARCH 10 • Associated Press

Johnson scores 25 to lead McNeese over Nicholls 75-65 for 8th straight victory

Larry Johnson scored 25 points and McNeese beat Nicholls 75-65 on Monday night to close out the Southland Conference regular season on an eight-game winning streak

MARCH 3 • Associated Press

McNeese takes on Nicholls State, looks for 4th straight road win

McNeese heads into a matchup against Nicholls State as winners of three games in a row on the road

MARCH 1 • Associated Press

Johnson scores 17 as McNeese takes down New Orleans 66-63

Led by Larry Johnson's 17 points, the McNeese Cowboys defeated the New Orleans Privateers 66-63 on Saturday

MARCH 1 • Associated Press

New Orleans plays McNeese after Benson's 30-point game

New Orleans plays the McNeese Cowboys after Coleton Benson scored 30 points in New Orleans' 77-73 win over the Stephen F

FEBRUARY 27 • Associated Press

Get To Know a College Basketball Mid-Major: Southland

A look at who's who and what they are playing for in the men's and women's college basketball mid-major Southland.

FEBRUARY 26 • FOX SPORTS

Get To Know a College Basketball Mid-Major: Southland

Last Night in College Basketball: Kansas Tops Houston, Big 12 Remains Chaotic

Kansas upsets Houston, Baylor asserts itself against Kansas State, a pair of key 30-point games, Georgia picks up a needed W and more from M...

FEBRUARY 24 • FOX SPORTS

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Field of 68 organizes opening day marathon that features mid-major basketball programs

Vanderbilt rallies to beat McNeese for its first NCAA Tournament victory since 2012

McNeese's boom box-carrying student manager Amir 'Aura' Khan runs it back in March Madness

Vanderbilt takes on McNeese in first round of NCAA Tournament

Vanderbilt faces McNeese in opening round of NCAA Tournament

Men's CBK AP Top 25: Purdue, St. John's Reenter Top 10

Last Night in College Basketball: Iowa State Ended Arizona State's Season in Rout

Garcia scores career-high 31 to lead McNeese over Stephen F. Austin 76-59 for Southland title

SFA faces McNeese in Southland Championship game

Johnson leads McNeese to 84-80 3OT win over UTRGV in Southland Conference Tournament semifinal

McNeese Cowboys and UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros square off in Southland Tournament

Johnson scores 25 to lead McNeese over Nicholls 75-65 for 8th straight victory

McNeese takes on Nicholls State, looks for 4th straight road win

Johnson scores 17 as McNeese takes down New Orleans 66-63

New Orleans plays McNeese after Benson's 30-point game

Get To Know a College Basketball Mid-Major: Southland

Last Night in College Basketball: Kansas Tops Houston, Big 12 Remains Chaotic