LAKE CHARLES — The Northwestern State men's basketball team never found its footing Friday night, falling behind early and struggling to slow a red-hot McNeese squad in a 92–54 loss in its Southland Conference opener.

McNeese (7–2, 1–1) opened the game on a 13–0 run after back-to-back dunks and a pair of free throws from Larry Johnson, setting the tone for a night the Cowboys controlled wire to wire.

NSU head coach Rick Cabrera said his team is still searching for answers after the slow start.

"Our team is doing some soul searching," Cabrera said. "This game only counts as one loss. We gotta be better, be tougher. All credit to McNeese. They came out hungry, and they did everything they needed to do to protect home court. I'm not going to give up on our guys, and they aren't going to give up on me."

The Cowboys maintained command through transition pressure, interior dominance, and efficient shot-making, building a 58–24 halftime lead behind a flurry of fast-break opportunities and paint touches that consistently broke down the NSU defense.

"Those guys attacked the rim like grown men, like adults," said Cabrera. "They're big with size. They did what good players do. They did a good job in the paint. They scored 54 points in the paint. We had 54 in total. That's just not good basketball."

NSU (1–7, 0–1) produced its best stretch early in the second half, using 3s from Justin Redmond and Chris Mubiru plus downhill attacks from Izzy Miles to piece together a 13–1 run that cut the deficit to 19.

But the Cowboys answered immediately with more layups, dunks and perimeter shots that pushed the margin back above 30 and closed the door.

Redmond led the Demons with a string of perimeter makes, while Miles sparked the second-half push with a personal burst that included a three-point play and a transition 3.

Cabrera praised the effort of his top contributors.

"They played well tonight," he said. "They are tough, and I appreciate that. They played well. I hope they can continue this effort throughout the season."

Despite 10 made 3s and 49 bench points, the Demons struggled to generate any interior production.

McNeese dominated the paint with a 54–10 scoring advantage and added 27 fast-break points off turnovers and long rebounds. The Cowboys shot 56 percent from the field and 47 percent from 3, compared to NSU's 35 percent overall.

McNeese also won the battle on the glass 42–23, including a 15–8 edge on the offensive boards that led to 11 second-chance points.

NSU's 19 turnovers resulted in 29 McNeese points, helping fuel a balanced offensive effort for the Cowboys, who finished with 23 assists on 36 field goals.

Cabrera emphasized that the setback, while decisive, cannot linger.

"It only counts as one," he said. "This isn't the first time they got their butts kicked. Conference games are important and it hurts, but I'm a competitor and the guys are too. Sometimes teams have nights like this, but we gotta learn to flush it and move on."

The Demons return to action Sunday at Southeastern Louisiana. Tip off is set for 3:30 p.m. in the University Center.