McNeese Cowboys' NCAA Tournament Run

0:00On March 16th, Mignis State Cowboys punched their ticket to the NCAA tournament as a 12-seat under first-year head coach Bill Armstrong, the 48-year-old, who was an assistant last season, led them to a 28-win five-loss record. They clinched the Southland Conference title by beating UT Rio Grande Valley and Stephen F. Austin, marking the first such bid for a rookie coach in. League history. Armstrong stepped in after Will Wade left for NC State following the strong 28-and-seven campaign that included an NCAA win over Clemson. Mignis finished second in the conference in 19-3, splitting with first-place Stephen F. Austin. They capped the year with their 10th straight victory and a 27-game home-winning streak, ranking 68th and Ken Pomeroy's adjusted. Efficiency. The Cowboys played a deliberate style, ranking near the bottom in overall tempo, but pushing the pace offensively while slowing foes on defense. They lead the nation-enforcing turnovers at a 24.6% clip, and rank high in shot-blocking.

1:02Opponents shoot nearly half their tries from three-point range, but Mignis grabs 35% of their own misses on offense. Key guards drive the squad, including freshman Larry Johnson, who averages 17.5 points and 5.5 rebounds after transferring from Craden. Taishan Archie chips in 14.3 points with sharp free-throw shooting while Javangarsia, the prior league player of the year, adds. Scoring punch, despite a late season each week, transfers like Garwe Dool and Gerald Colbert bring experience and size. Though solid on the glass offensively, Mignis struggles defending rebounds and gives up points at the foul line. They head into the big dance as one of the top 12 seeds by metrics, ready to pressure teens with their gritty defense.