LAKE CHARLES, La. (Interstat) — Larry Johnson scored 23 points as McNeese State pulled away in the second half for a 70-54 victory over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in a Southland Conference men’s basketball game Saturday at Burton Coliseum. The Cowboys, who improved to 23-5, led just 24-23 at halftime but outscored the Islanders 46-31 after the break. Johnson added four assists for McNeese State, which forced 18 turnovers and recorded 11 steals. Nicholas Shogbonyo led Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (14-14) with 20 points. The Islanders shot just 44.4% from the field and were hampered by 18 turnovers. McNeese State shot 43.9% overall and made 16 of 22 free throws. Tyshawn Archie added 17 points for the Cowboys in front of 3,298 fans.

LAKE CHARLES, La. (Interstat) — A dominant second-half performance fueled by a stifling defense propelled McNeese State to a 70-54 victory over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in a Southland Conference men’s basketball game Saturday night at Burton Coliseum. A crowd of 3,298 watched the Cowboys, one of the conference’s top teams this season, improve to 23-5 overall. The Islanders fell to .500 at 14-14. The most important part of the game was McNeese State’s overwhelming defensive pressure, which completely unraveled Texas A&M-Corpus Christi after halftime. The Cowboys forced 18 total turnovers, converting them into 21 points, and recorded 11 steals and five blocked shots. This defensive intensity was the catalyst for a decisive 22-3 run early in the second half that transformed a narrow contest into a comfortable victory. The first half was a defensive struggle, with McNeese State taking a slim 24-23 lead into the break. The Islanders, led by Nicholas Shogbonyo’s early scoring, had started strong, hitting three quick 3-pointers to build an 8-0 advantage. McNeese State, struggling from the perimeter, relied on forward Larry Johnson’s work inside and a parade to the free-throw line to slowly claw back. The half was characterized by disjointed offense from both sides, with the teams combining for 20 turnovers. Any hope for an Islanders upset evaporated quickly after intermission. McNeese State emerged with renewed defensive ferocity. The Cowboys trapped ball handlers, jumped passing lanes and protected the rim, holding Corpus Christi without a field goal for nearly six minutes during the game-changing surge. Johnson, a 6-foot-4 guard from Savannah, Georgia, was the offensive engine for McNeese throughout, finishing with a game-high 23 points. His backcourt mate, Tyshawn Archie of Houston, added 17 points, with 13 coming in the second half. Their penetration and playmaking, combined with the defensive havoc, proved too much for the Islanders to handle. Garwey Dual, another Houston native, orchestrated the Cowboys’ attack with five assists and was a central figure in the defensive effort with a steal and a block. McNeese State’s depth was also on display, as Carl Cherenfant provided key energy off the bench with six points and multiple defensive plays. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, which entered the game having won three of its last four, was led by Shogbonyo’s 20 points. The guard from Arlington, Texas, was the lone consistent scoring threat, hitting four 3-pointers. Point guard DA Houston of Houston contributed eight points and five assists, but the Islanders’ offense as a whole was stagnant, managing only two total assists against the Cowboys’ pressure. The statistical disparity told the story of McNeese State’s comprehensive performance. The Cowboys attempted 22 free throws, making 16, while the Islanders went just 5 of 8 from the line. McNeese also won the battle on the glass, securing 10 offensive rebounds that led to 13 second-chance points. The Islanders shot a respectable 44.4% from the field but were limited to just 45 attempts, a season-low output, due to the constant turnover issues. McNeese State, which defeated the Islanders 69-53 in Corpus Christi just over a month ago, has now won eight of its last nine games. The Cowboys will look to continue their momentum when they host Texas-Rio Grande Valley on Monday. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, which saw its two-game road winning streak snapped, will try to regroup at Southeastern Louisiana, also on Monday. According to National Statistical’s ELO system, McNeese State was projected with a 93.80 percent probability to win, a forecast validated by their commanding second-half display. The victory solidifies the Cowboys’ position atop the Southland Conference standings as the regular season enters its final stretch.

Preview: Islanders Face Tall Task at McNeese State LAKE CHARLES, La. (Interstat) — The Southland Conference’s top team looks to continue its dominant season when the McNeese State Cowboys host the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. McNeese State (22-5, 11-1 Southland), riding a five-game winning streak, sits firmly in first place. The Cowboys boast one of the nation’s most efficient offenses and a stifling defense, having won their last two games by an average of 29 points. They previously handled the Islanders with a 69-53 victory in Corpus Christi on Jan. 19. The Cowboys are led by dynamic guard Tyshawn Archie, who is coming off a 24-point performance in a win at Northwestern State. Archie has scored in double figures in six of his last seven games, providing consistent scoring punch for a deep McNeese squad. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (14-13, 7-5) enters after a 78-68 home loss to Stephen F. Austin, snapping a two-game win streak. The Islanders, who sit in the middle of the conference standings, have struggled for consistency, alternating wins and losses over their last seven contests. Guard Nicholas Shogbonyo is a key barometer for the Islanders. He scored 20 points in a win at Incarnate Word last month and 17 in a victory at Nicholls State earlier this month, but was held to nine points or fewer in three of the team’s recent losses. Containing Archie and generating efficient offense from Shogbonyo will be critical for the visitors. The matchup at Burton Coliseum presents a stark contrast. McNeese State ranks among the conference leaders in scoring margin and field goal percentage defense, while the Islanders have found wins harder to secure on the road. For Corpus Christi to pull the upset, they must control the tempo and limit the transition opportunities for the high-flying Cowboys. Saturday’s contest is the second of two regular-season meetings. Following this game, McNeese State will host Texas-Rio Grande Valley on Monday, while the Islanders travel to face Southeastern Louisiana.