SLC Picks McNeese Second - An Article by Jim Gazzolo

Will Wade has put a spotlight on basketball at McNeese State.

Tuesday the Southland Conference used him to help promote their upcoming season when they brought Basketball Media Day to the area. 

The league came together at the Grand Casino Coushatta Resort near Kinder thanks in part to Wade’s popularity and name. 

The former LSU head coach who took over the Cowboys at the end of last season was the highlight of the day that had coaches and players from all schools on both the men’s and women’s sides. 

The McNeese men, with three players named to the preseason all-Southland teams, were picked for second by the league’s coaches and communication directors. The Cowgirls were selected fifth.

“It only matters where you finish,” said Wade. “When you go to a movie you don’t go for the beginning, you go for the end. You remember the end, that’s what counts.”

Only Southeastern was picked higher than the Cowboys. The Lions finished with 144 points, just two ahead of McNeese as both picked up six first-place votes. This is the highest the Cowboys have been picked since they were the choice to win the league back in the 2011-2012 season.

With all five of its starters returning, New Orleans was picked for third with 132 points followed by defending champ Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (124). Northwestern State (84), Nicholls (71), Texas A&M-Commerce (66), HCU (50), Lamar (45), and UIW (42) round out the poll.

“There are so many new faces, new players, and new coaches, nobody really knows what will happen,” Wade said. “You throw everybody up against the wall and see what everybody has.

“I think the league will be very balanced.”

Christian Shumate returns to the Cowboys after considering spending time in the transfer portal after a very good sophomore season. The forward was picked on the first team this preseason and joined by a pair of transfer guards, Shahada Wells (TCU) and Javohn Garcia (College of Sequoias) on the second team.

No Cowgirl was named to the preseason All-Conference team, but McNeese head coach Lynn Kennedy believes his club is ready to make a run at the title.

“From one through 10 the conference looks to be the most competitive it has been for some time,” said Kennedy. “We gained some valuable experience at the tournament last year and we look forward to taking the next steps to get our program back to the top of the standings.”

Southeastern earned 15 of the 20 possible first-place votes to finish with 159 points. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi was selected second with 140 points and three first-place votes.

Lamar picked up the final two top votes and took home third with 132 points while Incarnate Word was fourth with 97.

McNeese and Houston Christian both received 74 points to tie for fifth. Northwestern State was seventh at 65 points followed by Texas A&M-Commerce (58), UNO (56), and Nicholls (39).

Last season's Southland Player of the Year Alecia Westbrook returns as one of the top headliners of the preseason All-Conference team. Kennedy believes his new additions make the Cowgirls much more athletic. 

“We went with the transfer portal last year and we did not fare well in it,” said Kennedy. “We have got some good freshmen that are going to be a big part of our team.”

Jim Gazzolo is a freelance writer and is the host of Poke Nation on CBS-Lake Charles.