Wade-ing Game - An Article by Jim Gazzolo

By Jim Gazzolo

Brought to town to not only fix a struggling basketball program Will Wade has done much, much more.

He has put McNeese State on the national hoop map, fueled an unprecedented financial boom and has the Cowboys off to an 8-2 start.

All this and he hasn’t even sat on the McNeese bench for one game.

That time will come in less than a week now as Wade’s 10-game NCAA suspension ended Tuesday night when the Pokes routed the Mississippi University for Women 92-23.

The gave the Cowboys their best start since they began the 1976-77 season 9-2. And Wade gets back on the bench next Wednesday night in the Legacy Center when McNeese hosts fellow Mid-Major Southern Mississippi. 

“We get our guy back,” said guard Omar Cooper. 

The players are ready but maybe not as much as the McNeese fans, many of whom are finding college basketball fun for the very first time. That is another reason why Wade was brought to town.

With a record number of season tickets already sold, Wade has earned his paycheck, but there is a lot more.

With the football program coming off a long, disappointing season, Wade’s crew is bringing fresh hope and life to the campus. And getting McNeese all the attention it could ever have dreamed.

Transfer guard Shahada Wells has become the face of the program, winning conference, state and national honors this week. Wells, a TCU transfer, won four Player of the Week awards.

“It has been a fun start,” Wells said. “The team has really come together fast and we enjoy each other on and off the court.”

Christian Shumate, the lone standout from last year’s squad that lost a program-record 23 games, has improved even more. He had 21 rebounds in a victory over Alabama-Birmingham recently and is a crowd favorite with his thunderous dunks.

He has also gotten pretty good at catching alley-oop passes from and finishing with acrobatic slams as well.

“I tell the guys to put it up by the rim and I will go get it,” said Shumate.

That has been working pretty good so far. 

Wade’s Cowboys, who like to go by the nickname “Bayou Bandits” are not just entertaining, they can be downright suffocating on defense at times. Against MUW, McNeese allowed just nine points in the first half, which tied the school record. 

All this has led to the Cowboys finding themselves ranked 22nd in one Mid-Major national poll. That’s the most type of attention McNeese could not have even dreamed off in the past.

Now it seems like just the opening shot.

“We have set a new bar here,” said Vernon Hamilton, who along with Brandon Chambers has split time as acting head coach in Wade’s absence.

Now the head coach is set to make his debut to the McNeese fans, some who have been counting down the games to his return with their signs.

“Free Willy” has become a theme at the Legacy Center and now it is just days away. 

“I can only screw it up from here,” Wade jokes. “I just want to keep the car on the road.”

Jim Gazzolo is a freelance writer who covers McNeese athletics. He is the host of Poke Nation on CBS-Lake Charles.