McNeese Athletics
LAKE CHARLES – One day following the announcement of two regular season games to be broadcast on CBS Sports Network, the McNeese Cowboys were awarded with a record third linear, nationally televised game to air on ESPNU as the Southland Conference office announced its ESPN schedule on Wednesday.
McNeese’s February 21 game at home against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi will tip-off at 7 p.m. in the Townsley Law Arena and will air live on ESPNU.
This marks the first time in school history for the Cowboys to have three regular season games broadcast on national TV. In addition, the men’s SLC tournament semifinal game No. 1 on March 10 at 6 p.m. and the championship game at 4 p.m. on March 11, both at McNeese’s Townsley Law Arena as well as the women’s tournament championship game on March 12 at 4 p.m., will air on the ESPN family of networks with final ESPN designations to be announced at a later date.
“Learning that McNeese will play three linear games on ESPN and CBS Sports is simply incredible,” said McNeese Vice President and Director of Athletics Heath Schroyer. “This is an amazing opportunity to showcase our great university and further enhance our brand. McNeese Athletics has never been broadcast nationally on television to this extent (in the regular season), and it’s humbling and thrilling to thing about how far we’ve come in such a short span of time.
“These opportunities are a win for our entire community. When the university rises, so does Southwest Louisiana, and that’s been our goal since day one. It’s a great day to be a Cowboy. Geaux Pokes, indeed!”
This will be the only regular season game for the conference to air on the ESPN family of networks. All remaining Southland basketball contests will stream live exclusively on ESPN+ throughout the 2025-26 season.
On Tuesday it was announced McNeese men’s basketball team will be featured twice on CBS Sports Network as part of the new five-game national televised linear package between the Southland Conference and CBS Sports.
The CBS Sports Network slate tips off Friday, Jan. 2, with a rematch of the 2024 Southland Men’s Basketball Championship Game when the two-time defending champion Cowboys hosts archrival Lamar at 6 p.m. inside Townsley Law Arena in Lake Charles.
McNeese will play at Nicholls on March 2 at 6:30 p.m. on CBSSN for its second linear game on the network.
Last season, McNeese had two regular season games broadcast nationally – at Mississippi State and at Stephen F. Austin – both on ESPNU. It’s conference tournament semifinal game against Northwestern State also aired on ESPNU while the championship contest versus Lamar was shown on ESPN2. The NCAA Tournament First Round win over Clemson was broadcast on TruTV while the second round game against Purdue aired on CBS for a total of six nationally broadcast games. McNeese can match that number, or better it, with a run in the postseason again.
ESPN Linear Schedule (2026)
- Saturday, Feb. 21 – Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at McNeese (ESPNU)
- Tuesday, March 10 – Southland Men’s Semifinal #1, 6 p.m. (TBD)
- Wednesday, March 11 – Southland Men’s Championship, 4 p.m. (TBD)
- Thursday, March 12 – Southland Women’s Championship, 4 p.m. (TBD)
CBS Sports Network Southland Schedule (2026)
- Friday, Jan. 2, 2026 – Lamar at McNeese, 6 p.m. CT (CBSSN)
- Monday, Jan. 26, 2026 – Northwestern State at Stephen F. Austin, 8 p.m. CT (CBSSN)
- Monday, Feb. 2, 2026 – UIW at Texas A&M–Corpus Christi, 8 p.m. CT (CBSSN)
- Monday, Feb. 23, 2026 – Nicholls at Lamar, 6 p.m. CT (CBSSN)
- Monday, March 2, 2026 – McNeese at Nicholls, 6:30 p.m. CT (CBSSN)
**MCNEESE PRESS RELEASE**
