Texas A&M Commerce vs McNeese State Prediction 12/12/2025 Today’s College Basketball Picks

The East Texas A&M Lions and the McNeese Cowboys will meet on Friday evening in a Southland Conference matchup at the Legacy Center in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

East Texas A&M Lions Betting Preview

The East Texas A&M Lions enter Friday’s contest with a 4–4 record, including a 1–3 record on the road. The Lions have compiled wins over Army, Fairleigh Dickinson, Central Arkansas and Dallas Christian, while losing games to the Rice, New Mexico and the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors. In the East Texas A&M Lions 84-67 victory over the Army Black Knights last month, East Texas A&M guard Damian Garcia tallied 20 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 block.

The East Texas A&M Lions average 79.9 points on 47 percent shooting from the field and 35 percent from three-point range per game. Defensively, the Lions are allowing opponents 70.8 points per game.

Junior forward Ronnie Harrison leads the East Texas A&M Lions frontcourt averaging 14 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.1 assists per game. Senior guard Damian Garcia is averaging 10.9 points, 3 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 0.7 steals a game. Senior forward Michael Folarin provides the East Texas A&M Lions with a strong interior presence averaging 6.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 0.7 blocks per contest.

McNeese Cowboys Betting Preview

The McNeese Cowboys enter Friday’s contest with an 8–2 record, including a 3–0 record at home. The Cowboys have amassed wins over Champion Christian, Louisiana, George Washington and the Rhode Island Rams, while dropping games to the Santa Clara Broncos and the Incarnate Word Cardinals. In McNeese Cowboys 92–54 win over the Northwestern State Demons six days ago, McNeese guard Larry Johnson accumulated 14 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists with 3 steals.

The McNeese Cowboys average 77.1 points on 46.3 percent shooting from the field and 31.1 percent shooting from three‑point range per game. On the defensive side of the basketball, the Cowboys are allowing opponents 67.3 points per game.

Freshman guard Larry Johnson leads the McNeese Cowboys averaging 16 points, 4 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. Junior guard Tyshawn Archie adds 13.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.7 steals per contest. Junior guard Garway Dual contributes 9.7 points, 2.9 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game.

Why the East Texas A&M Lions Will Win

•            Perimeter shooting. Harrison and Garcia have the potential to perform at a high level from an offensive perspective.

•            Underdog motivation. The East Texas A&M Lions will play loose facing a team with superior overall talent.

•            Senior forward Michael Folarin provides the East Texas A&M Lions with a strong interior presence averaging 6.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 0.7 blocks per contest.

•            Tempo. If the East Texas A&M Lions can push pace and force the McNeese Cowboys into transition defense, maybe the Lions can create scoring opportunities.

Why the McNeese Cowboys Will Win

•            Balanced scoring. Larry Johnson and Tyshawn Archie provide quality scoring.

•            Home dominance. McNeese is unbeaten at home (3-0) this season.

East Texas A&M Lions vs. McNeese Cowboys Prediction

This matchup features East Texas A&M’s ball movement and balanced scoring against McNeese’s explosive offense and defensive consistency. I expect the Lions to lean on Ronnie Harrison’s playmaking and Damian Garcia’s scoring to stay competitive. I think the McNeese Cowboys will rely on Larry Johnson and Tyshawn Archie.

Additionally, McNeese’s ability to defend the perimeter and convert turnovers into transition points should prove decisive. With Garcia orchestrating the offense and Colbert anchoring the paint, the Cowboys have the tools to extend the margin late. If East Texas A&M fails to slow the tempo, McNeese’s balanced attack will likely secure another home victory.

Hans Geevers's Pick: McNeese Cowboys TBA