Wisconsin basketball: McNeese Cowboys 2019-20 preview

McNeese

Nickname: Cowboys

Conference: Southland Conference

Location: Lake Charles, Louisiana

Website: https://mcneesesports.com/index.aspx?path=mbball

Head coach: Heath Schroyer, one year at McNeese

2018-19 record: 9-22 (5-13 Southland)

Last time in NCAA Tournament: 2002, lost in first round to Mississippi State

Top three returning scorers: Roydell Brown, senior, guard, 14.5 ppg; Sha’Markus Kennedy, senior, forward, 13.1 ppg; Trey Johnson, sophomore, guard, 2.2 ppg

Key loss: James Harvey, guard, 12.4 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 79 3PTM, graduated

Exciting newcomer: Dru Kuxhausen, junior, guard, transferred from Western Nebraska Community College, averaged 19.1 ppg and was a deadeye shooter according to the Scottsbluff Star Herald. “His specialty was shooting from beyond the 3-point arc and the charity stripe. Kuxhausen made 50.9 percent of his long range shots (119 treys) and shot 89.1 percent from the free throw line (115 of 129).”

Date of game: Friday, Nov. 13th, 6 p.m. CT, BTN

Location: Kohl Center, Madison, Wisconsin

Preview: The McNeese basketball team is going to look very different than they did last year. Their third through eighth leading scorers are no long on the team either because of graduation or transfer. That’s why their third leading returning scorer only averaged 2.2 points per game. However, the Cowboys are bringing in a number of fresh faces via transfer as well, like Kuxhausen and fellow guard Leondre Washington, who will be able to fill in the scoring gaps.

Brown and Kennedy were two of the top performers in the conference last year and the 6-foot-5 Brown led the conference in rebounding with 9.5 per game. He also shot 53.2% from the floor, but missed the last eight games of the season with an ankle injury. The 6-foot-8 Kennedy was no slouch on the glass either, averaging 7.1 rebounds per game and 9.6 per game when Brown was out.

Prediction: Badgers win 79-64