| McNeese Cowboys basketball | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
 | |||
| University | McNeese State University | ||
| Head coach | Bill Armstrong (1st season) | ||
| Location | Lake Charles, Louisiana | ||
| Arena | Townsley Law Arena (capacity: 4,200) | ||
| Conference | Southland | ||
| Nickname | Cowboys | ||
| Colors | Royal blue and gold[1] | ||
| NCAA Division I tournament round of 32 | |||
| 1968*, 2025 | |||
| NCAA Division I tournament appearances | |||
| 1968*, 1989, 2002, 2024, 2025, 2026 | |||
| Conference tournament champions | |||
| 1989, 2002, 2024, 2025, 2026 | |||
| Conference regular-season champions | |||
| 1975, 1978, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2011, 2024, 2025 | |||
| Uniforms | |||
| |||
* at Division II level | |||
The McNeese Cowboys basketball team represents McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana, United States. The school's team currently competes in the Southland Conference.
They are led by head coach Bill Armstrong and play their home games at Townsley Law Arena. Currently members of the NCAA Division I, they were national champions of the NAIA in 1956.[2] Since joining Division I in 1972-73, the Cowboys have appeared five times in the NCAA Tournament, most recently in 2026. McNeese won against Clemson in 2025 for their first NCAA tournament win in program history.[3]
Postseason appearances
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NCAA Division I Tournament
The Cowboys have appeared in five NCAA Division I Tournaments. Their combined record is 1–5.
| Year | Seed | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 16 | First round | (1) Illinois | L 71–77 |
| 2002 | 14 | First round | (3) Mississippi State | L 58–70 |
| 2024 | 12 | First round | (5) Gonzaga | L 65–86 |
| 2025 | 12 | First round Second round | (5) Clemson (4) Purdue | W 69–67 L 62–76 |
| 2026 | 12 | First round | (5) Vanderbilt | L 68–78 |
NCAA Division II Tournament
The Cowboys have appeared in one NCAA Division II Tournament. Their record is 0–2.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Regional semifinals Regional 3rd-place game | Trinity (TX) Jackson State | L 78–95 L 71–75 |
NAIA Tournament
The Cowboys have appeared in one NAIA Tournament. Their record is 5–0. They were national champions in 1956, their only appearance in the tournament.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | First round Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals National Championship Game | Georgetown (KY) Central State (OH) Tennessee State Pittsburg State Texas Southern | W 88–65 W 87–74 W 76–68 W 78–72 W 60–55 |
NIT
The Cowboys have appeared in three National Invitation Tournaments (NIT). Their combined record is 1–3.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | First round Second Round | Dayton Louisiana Tech | W 86–75 L 61–77 |
| 2001 | First round | UTEP | L 74–84 |
| 2011 | First round | Boston College | L 64–82 |
CIT
The Cowboys have appeared in one CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT). Their record is 0–1.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | First round | Toledo | L 63–76 |
Players
Retired numbers
| McNeese State Cowboys retired numbers | ||||
| No. | Player | Years | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Joe Dumars | 1981–1985 | ||
| 25 | Stan Kernan | 1957–1961 | ||
| 33 | Bill Reigel | 1954–1956 | ||
| 34 | Frank Glenn | 1955–1958 | ||
Cowboys in the NBA
Six former Cowboys have appeared in the National Basketball Association.
- Tierre Brown, 2002-2005
- Joe Dumars, 1986-1999
- Trey Gilder, 2010
- Edmund Lawrence, 1981
- Anthony Pullard, 1993
- John Rudd, 1979
See also
References
- "McNeese State Athletics Style Guide" (PDF). January 17, 2023. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
- "FLASHBACK: Cowboys win 1956 NAIA National Title". McNeese State University Athletics. 2026-03-11. Retrieved 2026-03-11.
- Quinn, Brendan (2025-03-25). "McNeese's upset of Clemson made possible by Will Wade's unsentimental honesty". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-03-11.
