McNeese Cowgirls & Cowboys Face UIW in Lake Charles This Saturday
Lake Charles, Louisiana (KNGT-FM) - Another Southland Conference matchup is set for Saturday in Lake Charles for the McNeese basketball programs, but the storylines couldn’t be more different. For the women, the focus is on continuing their dominance, while the men are aiming to bounce back with revenge on their minds.
McNeese Women To Host Incarnate Word
It has been utter domination for Ayla Guzzardo and her Cowgirls as they continue to steamroll their way to the number one seed in the Southland Conference postseason tournament, but Guzzardo is not letting her Cowgirls think about that yet..
"This week's message is all about staying focused. It's two huge games again, and we can't get caught up in last week’s hype," said Guzzardo. "Every team we play is still fighting for tournament seeding, and right now, we’re the team to beat. We humble ourselves every day in practice. Rankings don’t matter until the end of the season - our goal is 2-and-0 every week."
It hasn't been all roses, though; the Cowgirls are still working on playing well inside the friendly confines of the Townsley Law Arena. McNeese has shot the ball much better on the road so far this season, but they're focusing on changing that script...
"This team loves road games. They feed off the crowd, the boos, the energy—they’ve got an edge. But we’re also starting to embrace playing at home, which will be huge for the tournament," Guzzardo said.
"When we’re at home, we want to put on a show," Guzzardo said. "We want to hit big threes, finish around the rim, and play with an edge. Home games should be top-tier.
McNeese Wins Big Over Houston Christian Thursday Night
Thursday Night, the Cowgirls thrashed Houston Christian 83-35 to move to 19-4, 13-1 in SLC play. Even without Dakota Howard, who was a game-time decision, the Cowgirls rolled over the Huskies. Arianna Patton scored a career-high 23 points on the night behind 7 of 10 shooting, 4-for-7 from three-point range. Kaili Chamberlain put in 13 points while Tyreona Sibley added 12 to go along with five assists.
With the win, Ayla Guzzardo picked up her 100th career Southland Conference win.
Now the Cowgirls will turn their attention to Incarnate Word on Saturday afternoon. The Cardinals come in at 10-11, 8-6 in conference play. Incarnate Word is led by Jorja Elliott, who averages 11.7 points per game. She’s joined by Destiny Whitaker (11.2 ppg) and Brynn Lusby (10.0 ppg), giving UIW three consistent scoring threats McNeese will need to contain.
McNeese will host Incarnate Word on Saturday with tip-off slated for 1:00 inside Townsley Law Arena. The game will be viewed on ESPN+.
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McNeese Men Look To Avenge Early Season Loss To UIW
For the men, the sky is far from falling, even if some may suspect it might be. It actually just shows the growth the program has taken over the last three seasons.
Monday Night, McNeese fell to Stephen F Austin 67-60 in Nacogdoches to fall two games back of the Lumberjacks in the Southland Conference race. The fact is, the conference is in a much better place than it was just four short years ago; McNeese is to credit for that.
"There’s still a lot to play for," Armstrong said. "The mindset now is to continue getting better every day so we’re playing our best basketball come March 11th."
The Cowboys will look to avenge their early-season conference loss to Incarnate Word, who upset McNeese on December 1st. "We’ve got to get ready for UIW on Saturday," Armstrong said. "They beat us earlier this season, so we have to be prepared and play our best."
UIW is led by Davion Bailey (18.4 PPG, 77.8% FT) and Tahj Staveskie (17.7 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 37.7% 3PT), while Jordan Pyke (12.5 PPG, 5.2 RPG) and Harold Woods (8.2 PPG, 7 RPG) provide scoring and size inside.
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The good news for McNeese: they’re headed home. Since Will Wade arrived, the Cowboys have dominated at Townsley Law Arena, winning 23 straight games and going 43-1 since 2023-24, with the lone loss to Santa Clara. McNeese has also won 30 straight conference games, including 26 in a row at home, the 3rd-longest streak in Southland history.
Unlike the women, the McNeese men have struggled to find their shot on the road, but at Townsley Law Arena, they’re among the best in the conference. "I don’t have a clear explanation for the difference between shooting on the road and at home," Armstrong said. "It’s unexplainable, but the good news is we play four of our next six at home, which should help build confidence."
McNeese will host Incarnate Word on Saturday following the women's game, with tip-off slated for 4:00 inside Townsley Law Arena. The game will be viewed on ESPN+.