CBB Review prepares you for every conference tournament leading up to Selection Sunday on Mar. 16. Up next: The Southland Tournament.
The Southland added some strength in the offseason with the additions of Stephen F. Austin (former Southland member returning to the league) and UTRGV (completely new member). However, neither the Lumberjacks or the Vaqueros (love the name, by the way) managed to qualify for the conference tournament.
McNeese State didn’t run the table like last season, with the Cowboys falling on the road to Nicholls in February. But they’ve been on a tear, winning their last nine. Northwestern State and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi also enter the tournament on winning streaks, and the top six seeds all have 12 or more conference wins. It’s anyone’s game in Lake Charles.
2025 Southland Conference Awards
Player of the Year: Sam Hines Jr., Southeastern
Freshman of the Year: Jeremy Elyzee, Southeastern
Transfer of the Year: Addison Patterson, Northwestern State
Coach of the Year: Will Wade, McNeese State
First Team:
- G: Jakevion Buckley, Southeastern (14.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 4.2 APG, 1.9 SPG)
- G: Javohn Garcia, McNeese (12.6 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 1.9 APG, 1.5 SPG)
- G: Sam Hines Jr., Southeastern (16.4 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 2.0 APG)
- F: Addison Patterson, Northwestern State (13.3PPG, 5.4 RPG, 3.1 APG, 1.4 SPG)
- F: Garry Clark, Texas A&M Corpus-Christi (14.7 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 1.2 APG)
Second Team:
- G: Alexis Marmolejos, Lamar (14.4PPG, 3.1 RPG, 2.1 APG, 39.1 3PT%)
- G: Bryson Dawkins, Houston Christian (14.8 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 1.3 APG)
- G: Davion Bailey, Incarnate Word (16.7 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 1.0 APG, 40.8 3P%)
- G: Jalin Anderson, Incarnate Word (14.5 PPG, 5.0 APG, 3.2 RPG, 1.2 SPG)
- F: Christian Shumate, McNeese (10.5 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 0.9 APG, 1.3 BPG)
2025 Southland Tournament Simulation
First round – Sun., Mar. 9
5. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (19-13, 12-8) vs. 8. Houston Christian (12-19, 9-11) – 6 p.m. EST on ESPN+
The two teams split the season series, with the home team taking a game each. In both games, however, Jordan Roberts made a big difference off the bench for the Islanders. He had a game-high 16 points in the most recent meeting, a 68-62 A&M win in February in which the Huskies squandered an early 15-2 lead.
In the past two seasons, Roberts has averaged 8.5 PPG against all other opponents and 16.5 PPG against the Huskies. What does that mean? Jordan Roberts is due for another big game, and so are the Islanders, who have looked impressive in their past three games.
George’s pick: 5. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
6. Southeastern (18-13, 12-8) vs. 7. Incarnate Word (16-15, 9-11) – 8:30 p.m. EST on ESPN+
Don’t be fooled by the minimal difference in seed line or Southeastern’s recent three-game skid. The Lions swept the Cardinals in the season series, including an 86-63 blowout win back in January. The additions of Jakevion Buckley and Sam Hines Jr., along with freshman Jeremy Elyzee, have proved huge for the Lions this season.
Incarnate Word’s three-point shooting has been the best in the Southland, led by Davion Bailey and Jalin Anderson. That duo will always be able to threaten an upset, and Southeastern needs to secure the perimeter to win. But the Lions were able to do that in the first two meetings, and there’s no reason to think they can’t manage that again.
George’s pick: 6. Southeastern
Second round – Mon., Mar. 10
4. Northwestern State (15-15, 12-8) vs. 5. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi – 6 p.m. EST on ESPN+
This could be one of the better second round matchups in recent Southland history. Both of these teams are entering the tournament on winning streaks, and Owen Dease and Micah Thomas have been playing their best basketball as of late. In the lone meeting this season, the Islanders out-physicaled the Demons on the boards and in the paint.
Jared Colonel only played nine minutes in that game, and if he can show up down low against A&M, the rematch might go differently. Rick Cabrera’s group will need big games from Colonel and Willie Williams for that to happen, however. In a game that could realistically be a coin flip, the Islanders get the nod. Garry Clark will be the difference in this second round matchup.
George’s pick: 5. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
3. Nicholls (19-12, 13-7) vs. 6. Southeastern – 8:30 p.m. EST on ESPN+
These are the only two Southland teams to beat McNeese in the past two seasons. In the season series between the Colonels and Lions, the two teams split home victories with a combined 151-151 point margin in two very tight contests. The most recent matchup saw Robert Brown III score six points in the last 14 seconds of overtime before Sam Hines Jr. launched a step-back, high-arching three at the buzzer to secure the victory for the Lions. There’s not much separating these two, both on the court and geographically.
In the rubber match, expect the unexpected. Anything could happen when the Colonels and Lions meet. But the three-headed attack of Buckley, Hines Jr., and Elyzee should be too much again. That trio scored 58 of the team’s 84 points in that aforementioned overtime victory. Southeastern earns a ticket to the semifinals.
George’s pick: 6. Southeastern
Semifinals – Tues., Mar. 11
1. McNeese State (25-6, 19-1) vs. 5. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi – 7 p.m. on ESPNU
McNeese is simply a different animal. Under Will Wade, the Pokes are 38-2 against Southland Conference opponents. Are the Islanders good enough to be the third upset? It’s not impossible: A&M was up on McNeese late in the second half of the two teams’ first matchup this season. But the most recent matchup saw domination in the second half from the Cowboys in Lake Charles. Back in friendly confines, that’s the more likely scenario for McNeese this time out.
George’s pick: 1. McNeese
2. Lamar (19-12, 14-6) vs. 6. Southeastern – 9:30 on ESPN+
Lamar’s defense is quietly very good. (It’s better than Villanova, UCF, and Dayton, according to KenPom.) Despite a poor performance against Incarnate Word, the Cardinals have held their opponent to below 70 points in seven of their past eight games. They’re 6-2 in that span, with a close loss to McNeese.
Though Southeastern comes in with momentum, Lamar has had a trio of their own that has been playing stellar as of late. Adam Hamilton recorded six blocks in the Cardinals’ most recent game, a win over Nicholls. Alexis Marmolejos and Ja’Sean Jackson were mostly kept in check during Southeastern’s victory over the Cardinals in early February, but it’s hard to contain those two twice in a row. Lamar’s defense is good enough to win the rematch.
George’s pick: 2. Lamar
Championship – Wed., Mar. 12
1. McNeese State vs. 2. Lamar – 5 p.m. EST on ESPN2
The rematch we’ve all been waiting for. After McNeese led by double digits with under four minutes to go on March 1, the Cardinals launched a furious comeback attempt to tie the game back up. Though the Cowboys escaped with a victory,
Ultimately, the depth of McNeese is something that Lamar cannot boast. Even if the stellar Cardinals defense can slow down Christian Shumate and Javohn Garcia, there’s still Sincere Parker, DJ Richards Jr., or Joe Charles to stop, too. That’s a tall test for any defense, and though Lamar is the Southland’s best shot at dethroning Wade, McNeese is simply too talented.
George’s pick: 1. McNeese
[…] Cowboys took care of business and won the Southland tournament for the second year in the row, beating Lamar in the championship to book their ticket to the big […]