By Canadian Press on February 16, 2025.
McNeese Cowboys (20-6, 14-1 Southland) at SE Louisiana Lions (17-9, 11-4 Southland) Hammond, Louisiana; Monday, 7 p.m. EST BOTTOM LINE: SE Louisiana faces McNeese after Sam Hines Jr. scored 25 points in SE Louisiana’s 84-81 overtime victory over the Nicholls State Colonels. The Lions have gone 7-2 in home games. SE Louisiana is ninth in the Southland with 8.8 offensive rebounds per game led by Brody Rowbury averaging 2.3. The Cowboys are 14-1 in conference play. McNeese is third in the Southland scoring 76.1 points per game and is shooting 47.5%. SE Louisiana makes 45.1% of its shots from the field this season, which is 4.4 percentage points higher than McNeese has allowed to its opponents (40.7%). McNeese has shot at a 47.5% clip from the field this season, 5.0 percentage points higher than the 42.5% shooting opponents of SE Louisiana have averaged. TOP PERFORMERS: Hines is averaging 16.8 points and 6.3 rebounds for the Lions. Jakevion Buckley is averaging 17.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.7 steals over the last 10 games. Quadir Copeland is averaging 8.7 points and 4.2 assists for the Cowboys. DJ Richards is averaging 12.2 points over the last 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Lions: 9-1, averaging 73.6 points, 34.3 rebounds, 10.0 assists, 6.1 steals and 2.4 blocks per game while shooting 44.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 67.8 points per game. Cowboys: 9-1, averaging 73.6 points, 33.8 rebounds, 15.0 assists, 9.3 steals and 2.8 blocks per game while shooting 46.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 61.9 points. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar. The Associated Press 15