NCAAB · 1 year ago

College Basketball 2024-25 Preview Top 40: #40 McNeese Cowboys

David Connelly

Host · Writer

College Basketball 2024-25 Preview Top 40: #40 McNeese Cowboys

With the 2024-25 College Basketball season on the horizon, it’s time to break down our preseason top 40. Over the next several weeks, we’ll analyze rosters and key storylines for each program. Our journey begins with No. 40. McNeese State.

McNeese Preview: Look Back

McNeese 2023-24 Season: Record: 30–4 (17–1 Southland) | Postseason: Made the NCAA Tournament

It was a historic season for the Cowboys in Will Wade’s debut year with the program. He helped lead them to the most wins in a season with 30, and its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2002. With high hopes entering the Big Dance, they were a trendy upset pick over Gonzaga in the opening round. They suffered a drubbing, falling 86-65 in a disappointing effort to the Bulldogs. It was a sour ending to an otherwise successful season, and they’ll be looking for redemption heading into this season.

Connelly’s CBB Rankings: 2024-25 Players | Transfers | Part II | Transfer Portal Teams | Back to School

McNeese Preview: Departures

McNeese Biggest Losses:

Shahada Wells (Graduation) – 17.8 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 4.7 APG
Antavion Collum (Transfer to Ole Miss) – 8.6 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 1.6 APG
CJ Felder (Graduation) – 6.3 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 0.5 APG

The loss of Southland Player of the Year Wells stings the most here, leaving the team without its alpha and leading scorer. Collum is also a significant loss, a stretch big that may have been more important than the box score indicated. It’s a lighter list of departures than most programs, though, with the transfer portal being such a black hole for rosters at the low-major level during the offseason.

McNeese Preview: Arrivals

McNeese Top Addition:

Sincere Parker (St. Louis) – 15.9 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 0.9 APG (SportsGrid Transfer Ranking: 79)
Brandon Murray (Ole Miss) – 4.3 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 1.4 APG
Quadir Copeland (Syracuse) – 9.6 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 2.8 APG

Despite many believing that Will Wade would be on the move this offseason after an incredibly successful debut campaign at McNeese, interest was underwhelming. He chose to stay for a second season. Because of that, the Cowboys have put together a roster that feels like it could contend in the top half of the SEC based on the high-major talent it has accrued. Mix them in with established returning players, and this starts to feel like a high-major type of roster.

McNeese Preview: Who’s Back

McNeese Top Returnees:

Christian Shumate – 12.1 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 0.9 APG
Javohn Garcia – 11.2 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 1.7 APG
DJ Richards – 11.4 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 0.7 APG

Wells won’t be back, but a pair of starters in Shumate and Garcia return, and Richards was an elite scoring option off the bench for the Cowboys a season ago. Returning three double-digit scorers is rare in college basketball, and they will help quickly instill Will Wade’s principles into the newcomers. One of these players will need to step up and become the backcourt alpha, and we believe that will be Garcia. His sharpshooting and consistent presence towards the end of the season showed leadership and potential going forward.

McNeese Preview: 2024-25 Season

While Wade was a name that continued to come up for Power Six job openings across the country, he chose to remain at McNeese and build upon last year’s Southland dominance. Rather than rebuilding, the Cowboys have reloaded with this transfer class. Combined with the returning pieces, this team is again an overwhelming favorite in Southland and has a chance to eclipse 30 wins for a second consecutive season. Should they get the league’s automatic bid in 2025, they will rightfully be another trendy Cinderella at the NCAA Tournament.

McNeese National Championship Odds +25000