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Alabama Basketball prepares for game with old foe Will Wade

Headed in to week 2 of the college hoops season No.2 Alabama prepares for a big week with two foes who made the NCAA tournament in the 20223-24 season in McNeese and No.14 Purdue. McNeese will be a tough challenge on Monday for a No.2 team with a clear shot to end November at No.1 

By Charlie Harrison

Arkansas State v Alabama
Arkansas State v Alabama / Brandon Sumrall/GettyImages
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McNeese 2023-24 Season

It’s still early enough in the 2024-25 season that looking back to last year may reveal some insights about the Cowboys despite the fact that they had to replace four of five starters from a year ago. 

In the 2023-24 season McNeese’s first year head coach Will Wade led the cowboys to their second ever 30 win season. McNeese posted a 30-4 record going 17-1 in Southland Conference play. The Cowboys went on to top Nichols in the Southland Championship Game 92-67, before going on to be knocked out in the first round of the NCAA tournament to Gonzaga 86-65. 

Will Wade
Former LSU head coach Will Wade now in his 2nd season at McNeese / Andy Lyons/GettyImages

Will Wade? I know him!

Yes the name Will Wade should ring bells for Crimson Tide fans, Wade was the head coach at LSU from 2017-2022. He posted a 2-5 record against the Nate Oats led Crimson Tide. He was fired in 2022 following an NCAA investigation in to what the NCAA termed “serious violations”. 

Christian Shumate
Christian Shumate against Gonzaga in the NCAA Tournament / Christian Petersen/GettyImages

McNeese 2024-25 Season

McNeese is off to a 1-1 start in a year where they are projected to win the Southland Conference. Coming in to the season the Cowboys ranked 10th in the nation among Mid-Major programs per CollegeInsider.com. 

The preseason accolades don’t stop there for the Cowboys with five different players earning All-Southland nods in the preseason. Christian Shumate, Quadir Copeland and Joe Charles earning first team honors and second team honors for Javohn Garcia and Brandon Murray.

So far on the year Garcia and Breed have lead the way scoring for McNeese, with both men averaging 18.0 PPG. Garcia who is the only one of the two to play both games this season has also pulled down four rebounds to go along with five three pointers in 12 attempts. 

McNeese is still looking to replace Shanda Wells who lead the ream in scoring last season, but junior guard Christian Shumate seems primed to take up the mantel. Shumate was named a 2nd team preseason All-American by bracketeer.org and so far this season averaging 10 PPG in two starts. Shumate’s slow start can be attributed to a lack of shots taken he has only posted 14 across the first two games with six of his seven misses coming from outside the arc. Watch for Shumate to heat up though he shot 56% from the field last season and while he is only averaging 6.0 rebounds per game right now an undersized McNeese team will look for his 6-6 frame to make an impact on the glass. 

In the rankings and by the numbers 

No.2 Alabama is the highest ranked team McNeese has faced since the start of the 2013-14 season when they opened the year against then No.2 Michigan State, a game they lost 98-56. 

For McNeese the Cowboys have never been ranked in the polls, but at the end of last year they received their first top-25 votes since 2011. Per ESPN on the BPI index the Cowboys rank 85th with Alabama at 5th. 

What’s the impact of the game.

The Crimson Tide is coming off of an 88-79 win over Arkansas State with three of their four opponents to finish out the month of November being present in the rankings. A win against McNeese before seeing No.13 Purdue, No. 8 Houston and No.24 Rutgers will be more than enough to move the Crimson Tide in to the number one spot. But you need to start tonight with a win over McNeese.

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