The McNeese Cowboys will compete for their third consecutive Southland Conference championship following a hard-fought victory over Texas-Rio Grande Valley in a dramatic semifinal matchup. The game, held late Tuesday night at Townsley Law Arena, went into three overtimes before the Cowboys triumphed with an 84-80 score.
“It was a war of attrition,” commented McNeese head coach Bill Armstrong. “It wasn”t always pretty, but we found a way to win.” The Cowboys faced significant challenges, including a staggering 50 missed shots from the field and a free throw percentage of just 51.6 percent, converting 16 of 31 attempts.
Leading the charge for McNeese was freshman sensation Larry Johnson, who scored a game-high 27 points, including eight crucial points in the final overtime. His pivotal runner with 28.7 seconds left clinched the lead for McNeese at 82-80. Johnson capped off his double-double with 12 rebounds and seven steals, sealing the victory with a steal and dunk just before the final buzzer.
Returning from injury, Javohn Garcia played a pivotal role, logging nearly 49 minutes and contributing 12 points and seven rebounds. His two free throws tied the game at 72, forcing the third overtime. Earlier, Johnson had tied the score at 67 with a 3-pointer.
During regulation and both overtimes, Texas-Rio Grande Valley had opportunities to win, but McNeese”s defense held strong. Guard DJ Richards, who scored 12 points and made two critical 3-pointers late in the game, praised his team”s defensive efforts, stating, “We played really good defense there.”
Despite the loss, RGV featured standout performances from their All-Conference players, Koree Cotton and Filip Brakovic, who both fouled out in overtime. Cotton scored 20 points while Brakovic added 11. Richards acknowledged the challenge posed by RGV, saying, “They are a really good team. We had to dig real deep to win this game.”
This victory marked the 35th consecutive home win for McNeese against Southland Conference teams and their 28th straight home win overall, extending their unbeaten streak at home this season to nine games. Garcia emphasized the importance of protecting their home court, declaring, “We did not want to lose at home.”
The Cowboys, now boasting a record of 27-5, received additional scoring support from Tyshawn Archie with 14 points and Garwey Dual, who not only scored 10 points but also tallied 10 assists for a double-double performance. McNeese initially led at halftime, 31-23, but the game was tied at 58 at the end of regulation, setting the stage for the thrilling overtime battles.
Stephen F. Austin advanced to the championship game by narrowly defeating Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 60-58 in the first semifinal. McNeese and SFA had previously split their two regular-season meetings, with each team winning on their home court. The championship game is scheduled for 4 PM and will be broadcast on ESPNU.
