McNeese Cowboys dominate in a first-round matchup with Clemson Tigers and punch their ticket to the second round — a place they’ve never been in before.
The first round of the NCAA Tournament has already produced a thrilling first-round upset, with the McNeese Cowboys taking down the Clemson Tigers and reaching new heights as a program.
McNeese Defeats Clemson to Claim First NCAA Tournament Victory in School History
After staving off a late comeback attempt from the Clemson Tigers, the McNeese Cowboys notched their first NCAA Tournament win in program history by a final score of 69-67.
Will Wade is very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, excited. pic.twitter.com/FmyBAXfVml
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 20, 2025
The 12th-seeded Cowboys won the Southland Conference title and punched their ticket to the dance for the second consecutive season, matching up with the fifth-seeded Tigers in the Midwest Region. The game took place at Amica Mutal Pavilion in Providence, RI — where McNeese fans flooded the crowd to cheer on their team.
They had much to cheer about in the first half as the Cowboys mounted an 18-point half-time lead after holding Clemson to a mere 13 points at halftime, completely overwhelming them with their length and athleticism on the defensive end of the court.
The Tigers’ leading scorer, sixth-year guard Chase Hunter, was held scoreless well into the second half. They struggled mightily to put the ball in the hoop until the final ten minutes.
Javohn Garcia, McNeese’s leading scorer, managed to score only three points and failed to hit any of his six shot attempts from the field. Instead, the scoring came from an unfamiliar place.
While starters Quadir Copeland and Christian Shumate totaled 16 and 13 points, respectively, guard Brandon Murray powered the Cowboys’ offensive attack.
The senior came into the game averaging 7.1 ppg this season but put together his best performance of the season, scoring 21 points off the bench on 10 of 18 attempts from the field. Murray repeatedly got to his spots, seemingly surprising the Tigers with his aggressiveness, but they couldn’t do anything to stop him.
Junior guard Sincere Parker also came off the bench and added 12 more points, further helping ease the load after Garcia’s uncharacteristically tough game. The game looked to be over with 7:47 remaining in the second half, as the Cowboys held a 51-29 lead.
That’s when Hunter woke up, scoring 19 of his 21 points from then until the final buzzer, nearly bringing Clemson all the way back. Their four made three-pointers in the final 45 seconds put pressure on McNeese to make their free throws and finish the game.
They did, and as a result will celebrate their first NCAA Tournament victory in program history.
The win comes despite the potential distraction of their head coach, Will Wade, reaching a deal to become the next head coach for the NC State Wolfpack. The news came prior to the game, as Wade confirmed the rumors of his eventual move — sparking some criticism in the college basketball world.
In the end, it didn’t matter in this game. Wade, who has been known as one of the sport’s up-and-coming coaches, had his team ready to play right from the tip.
KEEP READING: NC State Lands Will Wade as New Head Coach
Now, they’ll face the fourth-seeded Purdue Boilermakers on Saturday, who advanced to the second round after handling the High Point Panthers 75-63.
Once again, Wade’s team will be the underdog — but after a strong all-around showing, the Cowboys proved themselves to be a dangerous team with the potential for more wins to come.
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