PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The 12th-seeded McNeese State Cowboys became the first team to put on Cinderella’s slippers this March, upsetting No. 5 Clemson, 69-67, in stunning (and narrow) fashion here on Thursday afternoon.
This is the first time that the Cowboys have won a game in the Division I men’s NCAA Tournament. The Southland Conference champions were also a No. 12 seed a year ago — and a popular upset pick — but lost to No. 5 Gonzaga by 21 points.
Second time turned out to be the charm.
The win was the first for a double-digit seed this year so far, the first major upset in a tournament known for them. For a stretch, it seemed like McNeese State would cruise to victory. The Cowboys had jumped all over the Tigers early in the game, attacking Clemson on both ends of the court. They forced 10 Clemson turnovers in the first half alone and turned them into 15 points. It took the Tigers 15 game minutes to reach double digits; they shot an abysmal 20.8 percent from the field (and 6.7 percent from three) in the first half.
The Cowboys did not relent after the break, quickly extending their lead to 20 by the midpoint of the second half and holding off a late Clemson comeback. They remained aggressive on the boards, especially effective at rebounding their own misses. 44 of their 69 points came in the paint. Brandon Murray — off the bench — led the Cowboys with 21 total points.
Clemson unleashed a barrage of threes in the final 45 seconds to make it a game, but it wasn’t enough to top a scrappy McNeese squad.
The win Thursday also capped a fascinating 24 hours for second-year head coach Will Wade; news broke on Wednesday afternoon that Wade is expected to be named the head coach of North Carolina State after McNeese’s season ends. The Cowboys’ season is now guaranteed to run through Saturday — at least. (The transfer portal opens on Monday, a key date for new head coaches trying to build their new rosters.)
Wade confirmed at his pregame news conference on Wednesday that he’d been in contact with the Wolfpack and said he’d talked to his McNeese players last weekend about the possibility of departing the school at the end of the season.
“We addressed it head-on,” Wade said. “Here’s what it is, here is where we are. It was just me and our players and we all talked about it. I’m aware of what I have got going on. They’re aware of what we’ve got going on. You just hit it head-on. We’re all on the same page with everything.”
Wade, 42, is undoubtedly one of the best coaches in the country, but he’s had to climb his way back up to the power-conference level after LSU fired him amid an NCAA investigation into recruiting violations involving pay-for-play. McNeese State hired him in 2023 despite a show-cause order and a 10-game suspension. But that faith in Wade was rewarded, as the move has obviously worked out quite well for the Cowboys.
McNeese State will attempt to continue its magical March on Saturday, when it will play No. 4 Purdue with the winner advancing to the Sweet 16.
