| MATCHUP | UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros | McNeese State Cowboys |
|---|---|---|
| Team Records | 16-12 | 23-5 |
| Where | Townsley Law Arena, Lake Charles, LA | |
| When | Monday, February 23, 2026 | |
| Time | 07:30 PM EST | |
| TV | ESPN+ | |
In this article, we will formulate a UT Rio Grande Valley vs McNeese Prediction for this college basketball game on Monday, February 23rd. Let’s take a look at the prediction for this college basketball matchup.
McNeese Cowboys Preview
The McNeese Cowboys have a 23-5 overall record and a 16-3 record in the Southland. They are coming off a 70-54 home win against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and their previous three games were a 75-64 road win against Northwestern State, a 97-54 road win against East Texas A&M and a 73-69 home win against Houston Christian.
Offensively, McNeese averages 80.9 points per game, while allowing 66.4 points per game defensively. The Cowboys shoot with 47% from the field and grab 35 rebounds per game, while dishing out 14.4 assists per game. They average 4.5 blocks per game and 10.4 steals per game defensively.
Larry Johnson leads McNeese in scoring, with an average of 16.8 points per game, while shooting with 52.1% from the field and 79.9% from the free throw line, adding a team-high 5.1 rebounds. Garwey Dual leads the team in assists with 4.2 per game.
UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros Preview
The UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros have a 16-12 overall record and a 12-7 record in the Southland. They are coming off a 96-75 road win against Southeastern Louisiana and their previous three games were a 70-65 home win against Lamar, a 66-57 home loss against Stephen F. Austin and a 92-72 road win against Nicholls.
Offensively, UT Rio Grande Valley averages 76.2 points per game, while allowing 69.6 points per game defensively. The Vaqueros shoot with 47% from the field and grab 34.9 rebounds per game, while dishing out 16.9 assists per game. They average 2.9 blocks per game and 6.1 steals per game defensively.
Koree Cotton leads UT Rio Grande Valley in scoring, with an average of 13.5 points per game, while shooting with 47.2% from the field and 78.2% from the free throw line. Marvin McGhee III is the team’s leading rebounder with 4.9 per game. Jaylen Washington leads the team in assists with 4 per game.
Texas-Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros @ McNeese State Cowboys Betting Trends: February 23, 2026
Why the McNeese State Cowboys will win
- McNeese State has won each of its last 34 home games against Conference opponents.
- McNeese State has won the first half in 11 of its last 12 night games at Townsley Law Arena.
Why the Texas-Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros will win
- Texas–Rio Grande Valley has won each of its last six road games.
- Texas–Rio Grande Valley has won the first half in each of its last six road games.
Total Points Facts
- Each of McNeese State’s last six night games have produced a total of 142 or fewer points.
- Each of Texas–Rio Grande Valley’s last four road games have produced a total of 164+ points.
Matchup/League Facts
- McNeese State ranks 1st among Division 1 teams for opponent steals per game this season (4.5).
- McNeese State ranks 3rd among Division 1 teams for steals per game this season (10.4).
- Texas–Rio Grande Valley ranks 39th among Division 1 teams for assists per game this season (16.9).
- Texas–Rio Grande Valley ranks 48th among Division 1 teams for effective field goal percentage this season (55.4%).
UT Rio Grande Valley vs McNeese Prediction
In this UT Rio Grande Valley vs McNeese Prediction, McNeese is coming as -10.5 home favorites. McNeese has been the better team this season but both teams have been red-hot lately with a 9-1 record in their last 10 games each. McNeese is 3-5 ATS in its last 8 games, while UT Rio Grande Valley is 7-2 ATS in its last 9, but McNeese has been better both on the offensive and the defensive end this season and has been undefeated at home, so I expect them to get the job done and cover the spread in this one.