LAKE CHARLES, La. (Interstat) — Tyshawn Archie scored 25 points and dished out six assists as McNeese State used a dominant first-half performance to build a commanding lead and then held off a persistent Southeastern Louisiana squad for a 73-61 victory in a Southland Conference men’s basketball game Saturday night at Burton Coliseum.

A crowd of 3,112 watched the Cowboys improve to 13-3 overall and 2-0 in league play, while the Lions fell to 5-11 and 1-1.

The most critical phase of the contest was its opening ten minutes, where McNeese State’s defensive pressure and transition offense completely overwhelmed the visitors. After Southeastern Louisiana’s Makhi Myles opened the scoring with a layup and a 3-pointer for a quick 5-0 lead, the Cowboys responded with a devastating 26-4 run over the next eight and a half minutes to seize control.

The surge was fueled by relentless defense that generated easy scoring chances. McNeese State scored 21 points off turnovers and racked up 20 fastbreak points for the game, with the majority of that damage coming in the first half. Archie was the catalyst, repeatedly attacking the basket and finding teammates in transition. His assist to Peitok Machar for a dunk at the 18:07 mark ignited the run, and he later capped it with a driving layup that made the score 26-9 with 11:26 remaining in the half.

Southeastern Louisiana, which shot poorly from the field, struggled to handle the Cowboys’ athleticism and ball pressure. The Lions committed numerous turnovers that McNeese State converted into uncontested layups and dunks at the other end. The Cowboys also dominated inside, finishing with a 40-28 advantage in points in the paint.

Despite the early onslaught, the Lions showed resilience. They trimmed a 13-point halftime deficit, which was 40-27, down to nine points on several occasions in the second half. A driving layup by Kyle Edison made it 55-46 with 9:21 to play, forcing a McNeese State timeout.

Each time the Lions threatened, Archie had an answer for the Cowboys. He scored 15 of his points in the second half, including a crucial personal 6-0 run midway through the period. After Southeastern Louisiana closed to within 59-50, Archie scored on three consecutive driving layups over a 90-second span to push the lead back to 65-50 with 6:49 left, effectively sealing the outcome.

Edison led Southeastern Louisiana with 13 points off the bench. Jeremy Elyzee added 10 points, while Myles finished with 11 points and a block. The Lions’ effort was hampered by their inability to capitalize on free throws and contain McNeese State’s transition game.

For McNeese State, Javohn Garcia provided a spark with 10 points, and Machar added eight points and two steals. Jacolb Fredson-Cole contributed six points, three assists and a block.

The victory extended McNeese State’s strong start to conference play following a win over Stephen F. Austin earlier in the week. Archie, a junior guard from Houston, Texas, continued his standout season, surpassing his scoring average with a efficient 32-minute performance.

Southeastern Louisiana, coming off a conference-opening win over Lamar, could not replicate that success against a Cowboys team that entered the game as a overwhelming favorite according to advanced metrics.

McNeese State will look to continue its momentum when it hosts Nicholls State on Monday. Southeastern Louisiana returns home to face New Orleans, also on Monday. The two teams will meet again in Hammond, Louisiana, on Jan. 26.