March 2, 2006

McNeese State's Cowboys can clinch third place in the Southland Conference standings with a victory over UT Arlington in Arlington on Friday.

The two teams will tangle in a 7:05 p.m. matchup on the stage in Arlington. All action can be listened to over KAOK (1400 AM).

A third place finish will give the Cowboys the home floor advantage in the opening round of the O?Reilly Auto Parts/SLC tournament next Tuesday.

McNeese will carry a 14-12 overall record and a 9-6 league mark into the game. UTA is 13-14 and 6-9.

The Cowboys posted a 66-63 victory over the Mavericks earlier in the season in Lake Charles as J. T. Williams scored 18 points and pulled 10 rebounds. He also hit what was the game winner with a minute left.

McNeese holds a 42-27 edge in the series between the two schools.

The Cowboys will go into the game having dropped their last two outings, bowing to Northwestern State and to Southeastern Louisiana.

Williams will be in the Cowboy starting five along with Troy Aaron, Dwight Boatner, Quentin Gonzales and either Jarvis Bradley or Aldryan Wardell. Williams is averaging 16.2 points per game, Boatner 13.2, Aaron 6.1, Gonzales 7.4, Bradley 53.5 and Wardell 5.3.

In Wednesday's loss to Southeastern, Williams scored 17 points but fouled out with eight minutes left in the game. Aaron had 13 points and Ford added 10.