Cowboys look to rebound

Published 1:04 pm Sunday, January 18, 2026

The road trip doesn’t get any easier for the Cowboys.

Monday, McNeese travels to Corpus Christi, Texas, to take on the Islanders in a game that has become very important.

The Cowboys are looking to bounce back from a 79-76 loss at the hands of Texas-Rio Grande Valley on Saturday. 

Down by as many as 23 points, McNeese rallied to get two shots to tie the game in the final seconds, but both Tyshawn Archie and Jacolb Cole saw their long jumpers come up short. 

Now McNeese faces an opponent that has been tough on them the last two years in Corpus Christi. The Pokes have won their last two games in Texas, both by just one point.

“They have been very tough on us there, and this will be no different,” McNeese head coach Bill Armstrong said. “They are a very good team that is going to be ready for us.

Under head coach Jim Shaw, Corpus is 34-5 the last three seasons at home, with the Cowboys accounting for two of those losses. The Islanders are 6-1 at home this year.

Monday’s game is set for 3 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+.

Despite Archie’s 23 points and 19 more from Javohn Garcia, McNeese fell out of first place Saturday at the hands of the ninth-place Vaqueros, who outscored the Cowboys 39-15 on 3-point shots.

That dropped the Cowboys to 14-4 overall and 7-2 in the Southland Conference, a game behind Stephen F. Austin and tied with Nicholls for second. The Islanders are just a game behind McNeese at 10-8, 6-3.

A victory over the Cowboys would put Corpus Christi back in the Southland chase.

McNeese will be trying to reverse a trend that has hurt them this season. The Cowboys are just 2-4 on the road and have gotten off to slow starts in most of those games. 

Saturday, the Vaquaroes led 46-30 at the half. That’s the most points McNeese has given up in a half outside of its game at Michigan. 

“That’s on me,” Armstrong said. “I have to get them ready to play. I have to fix that.”

Corpus Christi is coming off a 68-56 home win over Southeastern Saturday. Nicholas Shogbonyo’s 14 points led a balanced scoring attack, with 10 Islanders scoring.

The Cowboys are led by Larry Johnson, who is averaging 16.5 points per game. Shogbonyo and Sheldon Williams lead the Islanders at 11.1.