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Southland overview

Cowboys primed to rise from near the bottom to top

Special to CNNSI.com

Mike Deane's Lamar squad was a surprise NCAA entrant last season. Jonathan Daniel/Allsport

Order of Finish 1. McNeese State 2. Northwestern State 3. Texas-San Antonio 4. Nicholls State 5. Lamar 6. Sam Houston State 7. Louisiana-Monroe 8. Southeastern Louisiana 9. Texas-Arlington 10. Stephen F. Austin 11. Southwest Texas State

Top storylines

McNeese State has a chance to go from near worst to first after injuries gashed the team a year ago. Optimism is brimming after senior guard Demond Mallet and sophomore forward Adrian Johnson were granted medical hardships and an additional year of eligibility. Mallet was the 1999 Louisiana Player of the Year and Southland Conference scoring champ while Johnson is a 6-7 jumping jack who started as a freshman.

Northwestern State guard Michael Byars-Dawson is generating a buzz in Natchitoches, La. He played two years at Miami (Fla.) before transferring and sitting out last year. Although his stats at Miami were modest (2.6 ppg, 1.1 rpg), he averaged 23.9 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 5.5 apg and 5.0 rpg as an Adidas Blue Ribbon All-America selection at Dunbar High School in Fort Worth.

Southwest Texas State has a new head coach in Dennis Nutt, an assistant at Arkansas State the past five years. He replaces Mike Miller, who left to become an assistant at Kansas State. SWT suffered a huge loss when third team All-SLC power forward Jason Blair (14.0 ppg, 8.2 rpg) left the team with intentions to transfer during the summer.

Players to Watch

Top Three Players

Devin Brown, G/F, Texas-San Antonio • A 6-4 junior, Brown set the San Antonio high school scoring record with 2,763 points in three years. Wojciech Myrda, C, Louisiana-Monroe • The 7-1 Myrda (9.0 ppg, 6.6 rpg), who is no longer a project but a rising star. The past two years, Myrda has been ULM's defensive stopper. He averaged 5.1 blocked shots per game, second in the nation. Demond Mallet, G, McNeese State • The 6-1 Mallet, a former Louisiana Player of the Year and the SLC scoring champion as a sophomore, is a three-year starter who was granted a medical hardship to return for his senior year.

Top Newcomer

Michael Byars-Dawson, G, Northwestern State • The 5-11 Byars-Dawson sat out last year after transferring from Miami (Fla.). He spent two seasons at Miami, playing in 33 games while starting twice.

Coaches

Hot Coach

Mike McConathy, Northwestern State • McConathy used chemistry and balance in leading Northwestern to the Southland Conference Tournament championship a year ago. The Demons are picked second in the league this year.

Coach on the Hot Seat

Dennis Nutt, Southwest Texas State • New coach Nutt has some remodeling to do with a Southwest Texas program that suffered heavy losses, both expected and unexpected during the off-season.

Mark Your Calendar

Jan. 8, McNeese State at Northwestern State • An early test for league supremacy. Jan. 20, Texas-San Antonio at Northwestern State • This one could decide who challenges McNeese for the title. Feb. 24, Northwestern State at McNeese State • Probably for all the marbles.

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