(Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands) — The McNeese Cowboys improved to 5-1 on the season with a dominant 73-60 victory over Murray State on Monday at John Gray Gymnasium, continuing their impressive showing at the Cayman Islands Classic.
The Cowboys from Lake Charles, Louisiana, controlled the contest from start to finish, building a commanding 40-17 halftime lead before cruising through the second half. McNeese’s balanced attack and stifling defense proved too much for the Racers, who fell to 4-3 overall.
Guard Javohn Garcia paced the Cowboys with 15 points on efficient 5-of-10 shooting, adding three rebounds and two assists. Forward DJ Richards contributed a solid all-around performance with 10 points and five rebounds, while Tyshawn Archie chipped in seven points.
McNeese’s dominance in the paint was a key difference-maker, as the Cowboys outscored Murray State 44-14 in that category. The Louisiana squad also excelled in transition, scoring 27 fast-break points compared to just eight for the Racers, and capitalized on turnovers with 27 points off Murray State mistakes.
The Racers struggled mightily in the opening half, shooting just 17.4% from the field and connecting on only four of 23 attempts. Murray State improved after the break but couldn’t overcome the early deficit. Mason Miller led the Racers with 14 points, while Roman Domon added 11 points off the bench.
The Racers (4-3) will look to get back in the win column on Tuesday night at 6:30 CST against George Washington’s Revolutionaries who come into the game at 6-1.
