LAKE CHARLES, La. – The Wildcats rebounded to a degree from their season-opening lopsided loss to Lamar last week with a stronger showing versus McNeese State Tuesday night, eventually falling 71-52 to the Cowboys in the final exhibition game of the season.

The Wildcats enjoyed an 8-4 lead at the first media timeout, which occurred at 15:28 mark of the first half, but a 37-12 run by the Cowboys in the next 14 minutes helped McNeese State build a 41-23 advantage at the half.

Late first-half buckets by Jelani Mitchell (St. Martinville, La./St. Martinville) and Romanaski Williams (Bunkie, La./Bunkie HS).

In the second half, LC began to find its legs on both defense and offense and held McNeese to 30 points while scoring 29.
Senior post Korey Salmon (Deville, La./Buckeye HS) erupted in the second half en route to a team high 13 points.
Danny Sumner (Baton Rouge, La./Central HS) was second in scoring for LC with 9.

Four players reached double figures for McNeese State.

Jeremie Mitchell finished with a game-high 20 and Patrick Richard 11.

Rudy Turner, a junior center who played his high school ball at Peabody High School in Alexandria, was good for 14 points and 17 rebounds while Dontae Cannon, a junior guard who played his high school ball at Alexandria Senior High, scored 14.

The Wildcats will play their first official game on Nov. 26 with a road trip to Schreiner, the American Southwest Conference opener for both teams.