SOUTHLAND SHOWDOWN SET AS MCNEESE STATE VISITS LAMAR

BEAUMONT, Texas (Interstat) — A surging McNeese State squad looks to continue its dominant run through the Southland Conference when it visits Lamar at the Montagne Center on Saturday.

The Cowboys (17-4, 8-1 Southland) enter on a seven-game winning streak in league play, their lone conference loss a narrow 79-76 road defeat at Texas-Rio Grande Valley on Jan. 17. They most recently handled Southeastern Louisiana 76-66 on Tuesday behind 20 points from standout guard Larry Johnson.

Johnson has been the catalyst for McNeese State’s high-powered offense, averaging 19.1 points per game in conference action. He scored 19 points in just 17 minutes in the first meeting with Lamar this season, an 82-70 Cowboys victory in Lake Charles on Jan. 2.

The host Cardinals (11-10, 5-4) have been inconsistent but are coming off an 82-61 rout of Texas A&M-Commerce on Tuesday. Guard Rob Lee erupted for 28 points in that win, showcasing the scoring punch Lamar will need to challenge the conference front-runner. Lee was held to 15 points on 5-of-14 shooting in the loss at McNeese State earlier this month.

Lamar has struggled against the top of the league, with conference losses to McNeese State, Southeastern Louisiana and Stephen F. Austin. Protecting home court is critical for their standing; the Cardinals are 8-3 at the Montagne Center this season.

McNeese State’s conference success has been built on both ends of the floor. They lead the Southland in scoring margin, winning their eight league games by an average of 15.5 points. Alongside Johnson, contributors like Javohn Garcia and Garwey Dual provide balanced scoring.

The rematch offers Lamar a chance for redemption and to disrupt the Cowboys’ march toward a regular-season title. For McNeese State, it represents another hurdle to clear in a season where they have established themselves as the team to beat.

Tip-off is scheduled for 4:12 p.m. CST Saturday. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.