McNeese State basketball wins first NCAA Tournament game

McNeese State University is located in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Founded in 1939 as Lake Charles Junior College, the school now covers over 1,560 acres and has 79 buildings. It was renamed in 1970 after John McNeese, a local educator. The Cowboys basketball team has gained attention during March Madness in 2025. They won their conference tournament and entered the NCAA tournament with a strong 27-6 record. The team made headlines by defeating Clemson in the first round of the tournament. Four players are scoring in double digits, helping to boost the team's profile. McNeese State has a student enrollment of about 6,243. It has been a member of the Southland Conference since 1972. The Southland Conference, founded in 1963, includes 12 full members primarily from Texas and Louisiana. McNeese is not a historically black college or university (HBCU); it is categorized as a public university within the University of Louisiana system. The school offers 50 degree programs through its six colleges and graduate school. This year's NCAA tournament marks McNeese's fourth appearance in March Madness at the Division I level. Notably, their victory over Clemson was their first-ever win in the tournament. Previously, the Cowboys lost in their first rounds in 1989, 2002, and 2024.