WATCH: ESPN+ | LISTEN: THE TICKET 106.1 FM | LIVE STATS: McNEESE | VANDERBILT
GAME NOTES: UNO | McNEESE | VANDERBILT
NEW ORLEANS – The University of New Orleans men's basketball team (2-9. 0-1 Southland) will hit the road for two games in the next four days. First up is a trip to the Legacy Center in Lake Charles for a Southland Conference tilt against the defending champion McNeese Cowboys (6-5, 0-0 Southland) on Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m.
New Orleans will then hop on a plane on Sunday morning for a flight to Nashville, Tenn. to take on the Vanderbilt Commodores (11-1, 0-0 SEC). Tipoff at Memorial Coliseum is set for 7 p.m. on Monday night.
James White continues to lead the Privateers and the Southland in scoring at 19.1 points per game after scoring 24 against LSU on Sunday. White has now scored in double-figures in ten of his 11 games at UNO and has a league-leading six games of 20 or more points. He also matched his season-high rebounding total – 11 vs. Lindenwood – at LSU, his second double-double this season.
The senior also leads the conference in rebounding at 7.7 per game and defensive rebounds per game at 6.45 per outing. Freshman
MJ Thomas is fourth in the league in rebounding with 6.6 rebounds per game and ranks first in the league with 3.1 offensive rebounds per game. The Privateers are the only Southland school with two rebounders inside the league's top five, and rank No. 79 in the NCAA in offensive rebounds per game at 12.55.
SCOUTING THE COWBOYS
The Cowboys, 6-5, were the overwhelming favorites to repeat as Southland champions this year in head coach Will Wade's second season. McNeese has played the 22nd most difficult schedule this season, according to KenPom, and their five losses are by a combined 29 points (5.8 per game). In four of their losses, the Cowboys were within one possession with less than two minutes to play. Their Div. I opponents this season have a combined record of 81-34.
Sincere Parker leads the way in scoring for McNeese at 16.2 points per game. Parker scored 31 against Longwood in November and has five games with more than 18 points. He's also one of the best in the country from the free-throw line, making 88.1 percent from the charity stripe (38 of 42).
Christian Shumate is averaging 11.1 points per game and 5.5 rebounds. Last year's Southland Defensive Player of the Year ranks No. 5 in rebounding in McNeese history and No. 19 in scoring. His 17 blocks this season rank No. 4 in the Southland and No. 106 in the NCAA.
SCOUTING THE COMMODORES
The Commodores will enter Monday evening's contest with a record of 11-1 and a NET ranking in the top-40 after being picked to finish last in the vastly improved SEC. The Commodores hold impressive road victories over Virginia Tech and TCU. Their only loss this season is to Drake in Charleston, S.C., on Nov. 24.
Vanderbilt takes care of the basketball and turns it over on only 12.6% of its possessions—best in the country. The Commodores are fifth in the NCAA in turnovers per game at 9.6, the best among Power Five schools.
Defensively, they create turnovers on 22.8% of opponents' possessions, which ranks 14th in the country. The Commodores are eighth in both turnover margin (6.3) and steals per game (10.4). Tyler Tanner leads Vanderbilt in steals and ranks No. 20 in the country with 29, a total good for No. 22 in steals per game (2.42).
Former American Athletic Conference All-Conference selection and NJCAA All-American Jason Edwards leads Vanderbilt in scoring at 18.9 points per game, while Jaylen Carey leads the team in rebounding at 5.7 per game.
COVERAGE INFORMATION
Both games will air on ESPN+ and The Ticket 106.1 FM. In addition, the Vanderbilt game will air on SEC Network + for cable subscribers. Updates will also be provided on @PrivateersHoops on
X (formerly Twitter) throughout both games.
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Keep up to date with everything New Orleans Privateers Men's Basketball. Follow @PrivateersHoops on both
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