Usually, the Southland Conference does not make a whole lot of noise in March Madness. For a conference that has only ever received one bid into the big dance, deep runs into the tournament might not be expected by some. Compared to other one-bid conferences, there has been some recent success. Abilene Christian’s thrilling 53-52 upset over Texas in the 2021 NCAA tournament caught a lot of attention, and Stephen F. Austin under the command of now head coach of Illinois Brad Underwood pulled off two upsets in a three-tournament span from 2014 to 2016 put them on the map as a dangerous team come tournament time. As for all-time, history isn’t particularly on their side. In the past 20 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournaments, the Southland conference holds a 5-20 record, with the most recent win being Abilene’s Christian’s upset.
Another problem with the Southland is their historically successful teams have left the conference. Of their five victories in the past 20 NCAA Tournaments, only one school–Northwestern State–still resides in the Southland. That win for the Demons came back in 2006, and the previous four victories have come from teams that have since left the conference. Stephen F. Austin and Abilene Christian were the two most notable teams in the Southland but have both left for the Western Athletic Conference. With there being no real notable team, the conference has received a 16 seed in the previous two tournaments.
Amid teams switching conferences and trying to find a new team to pin the Southland on the map, this season provides some possible answers. The Southland has a few contenders, a sneaky dark horse, and a favorite that could create some madness in the tournament. This conference tournament between teams from the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast area should be interesting.
The Favorite
McNeese State – The Cowboys are the obvious favorite out of the Southland. It seems like they have everything working towards them going into tournament play. They sit atop the conference with an impressive 28-3 record– the best in school history. They went 17-1 in the conference schedule, with the lone blemish being a narrow 77-74 loss at Southeastern Louisiana. And if that wasn’t enough, the Southland tournament is set to be hosted in their homecourt in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
In his first year as head coach, Will Wade has turned this program around after an 11-23 record last season. Wade has seemed to bring a new life into this program, and so have the new additions to the team. Only two players rostered for the Cowboys came back for this season, but Christian Shumate has continued to make a huge impact, averaging a near-double-double with 12 points and 9.7 rebounds per game, respectively. He is one of four players scoring in double figures this season, with the other three new to the program. TCU transfer Shahada Wells highlights these newcomers averaging 17.2 points and 4.7 assists per game.
McNeese State may not be the flashiest team, but they can throw teams off their game. The Cowboys play at a slower pace than usual, but they can wear teams out. Though they play at a slow pacer pace, the game can get out of hand quickly. They like to go on runs and don’t give too many up. Once they get up, it’s hard to climb back into the game. Their solid defense combined with scoring firepower is a perfect storm that is hard to play against. They have proven this all season, and there seems to be no sign of them stopping.
Contenders
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi – If there was ever a team to destroy McNese’s State’s magical season, it would be the Islanders. They hold a 21-10 record with a 14-4 conference record. Though the double-digit losses might not look promising, they are battle-tested. Though losing all three, the Islanders have played some top-tier teams projected to be in the big dance, such as Texas, the current number one team in the nation Houston, and Texas Tech– who they played to a 73-64 contest early in the year.
The Islanders have a fairly balanced attack with five players averaging eight or more points per game this season. This group is highlighted by St. Louis native Garry Clark, who averages 13.1 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. Standing at 6’8, he is an athletic big man that can play like a guard. Marion Humphry is a great facilitator with the ball, and Jordan Roberts is a solid scorer who brings a lot of experience with him.
The biggest upside to the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi team is the winning pentagree in this tournament. They are the defending back-to-back Southland Conference champions and were the Southland regular season champions last year. Though this season is his first year at the helm, Head Coach Jim Shaw has been there for all of this recent success as assistant coach, so he knows what it takes to get it done.
Nicholls – The Colonels pose as another strong threat in the Southland. The season started rough, as they managed to muster a 5-8 record going into conference play. However, Nicholls turned it around as the new year came, posting a 13-5 record in conference play and earning the #3 seed in the Southland Conference Tournament.
The Colonels have four players averaging over 11 points per game. Senior forward Diante Smith leads the charge with 15.3 while the 6’6 Junior Jamal West Jr. averages 14.1 points per game. West Jr. is the only Colonel who has appeared in every contest this season and proves to be their go-to option when times get tough.
Nicholls has done a lot right this season in terms of winning games they should. They didn’t lose a conference game to teams seeded outside the top four in the Southland Conference Tournament. Outside McNeese State, the Colonels played the other teams well, including a 67-63 win against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Feb. 12. If they manage to catch some fire, it could be scary for their opponents.
Dark Horse
Lamar – The Cardinals may not seem like a typical dark horse team, as they have the same overall record as Nicholls and are right behind the Colonels with a 12-6 conference record. The reason some may be weary of Lamar is their inconsistency against all of the teams in the conference. They have beaten Nicholls twice this season, but the way the bracket is set up would not have them meet until the championship game, barring both teams getting there. They have fallen to a couple of inferior teams in conference play, Houston Christian and Incarnate Word, who were the two teams out of the 10 in the Southland who didn’t qualify for the eight-team Conference tournament.
With that being said, the Cardinals have played well against the top teams. They have played both Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and McNeese State to single-digit affairs. Their 6’6 phenoms Terry Anderson and B.B. Knight can take over a game and cause matchups nightmares for defenses. Though it could be a tall task to win the tournament, the Cardinals could prove some people wrong.
My Prediction
McNeese State – This prediction was a lot harder than what it seems on paper. The Cowboys are the best team in the conference, but the best team doesn’t always win their conference tournament. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi is on a seven-game win streak and playing some really good basketball. Lamar poses a real threat to the Cowboys and Nicholls could make some noise if they end up playing each other.
With all of that being said, there is a reason McNeese State is 28-3. They have played great basketball all year with lots of different players contributing to the cause. Though they have played in some close games down the stretch of the season, the Cowboys have found a way to come out victorious almost every time. It can be difficult to beat a good team three times in a season, such as Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Nicholls, and Lamar, but it is also difficult for a team to beat one that is better than them. Will Wade knows how to win games in the postseason, and I think that experience will help McNeese State out a lot. The Cowboys have won the Southland since 2002, also marking the last time they were in the tournament. With the tournament being held at their home court and the Southland looking for a new team to make a splash on the national stage, I think the McNeese State Cowboys will sit atop the Southland Conference and punch their ticket to the NCAA Tournament.