McNeese State guard Kalob Ledoux offers only a chuckle when asked whether today’s 1 p.m. game against Louisiana-Lafayette carries any extra meaning.
“I’m really cool with all those guys,” the former Lafayette Christian Academy standout said. “Even though we’re cool, they’re going to come in here and try to blow us out just like we’re nobody. Got to be ready.”
Both Kalob and twin Jacob said they were recruited by the Ragin’ Cajuns, but Jacob’s grades presented a slight issue and both preferred to play together at McNeese.
“College is hard, man,” Kalob said. “It’s really hard. Having a twin is different than just having a regular brother, so having him there is making it a little bit easier.”
Kalob is one of four Cowboys averaging double figures and often the first guard head coach Dave Simmons calls upon from his bench. Jacob, who has worked as a point guard in recent weeks, averages 5.3 points. Both say they’re over the initial shock of a college basketball transition and are adjusting well to the next level.
“Freshmen are freshmen,” Simmons said. “They’re really good players and are getting better to understand the college game. The biggest thing is they have a lot of confidence. Hopefully they’ll come out against their hometown team tomorrow, so hopefully that’ll be a little more incentive on them coming out. Both of them are playing well.”
The hometown reunions won’t be so one-sided. Former St. Louis Catholic standout P.J. Hardy, last season’s District 4-3A MVP and Most Outstanding Player in Southwest Louisiana, is a freshman guard for the Cajuns (5-2), who are fresh off a 101-69 evisceration of Nicholls State.
Hardy, who has yet to start a game and averages 6.6 points, poured 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting in 15 minutes against the Colonels.
“I thought Nicholls was playing well early in the season in their nonconference games, and blew them out,” Simmons said. “So they’re obviously coming in hot. This is a challenge against a very good basketball team for us tomorrow.”
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INJURIES:
Though he was able to practice fully on Friday, Cowboys forward Stephen Ugochukwu will be a game-time decision with a hamstring strain, Simmons said.
Ugochukwu, the team’s most adept post player and rebounder, has not played in McNeese’s last two games — a win against LSU-Alexandria and an 80-68 loss to Texas State on Tuesday.
Compensating for the loss, Itawamba (Miss.) Community College transfer LaBarrius Hill — who dealt with a preseason leg injury and is working to get fully conditioned — had season highs in minutes (33), points (15), blocks (4) and rebounds (9) against Texas State. Lance Potier’s also averaged eight rebounds in the team’s last two games, when he’s started in place of Ugochukwu.
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LAGNIAPPE: Today’s game, airing on Cox Sports Television, is the first of four consecutive televised McNeese games. Lyn Rollins, Victor Howell and Tatum Everett will have the call from Burton Coliseum. … McNeese (2-4) has not defeated a Division I team this season. … Simmons is 6-4 against ULL in his McNeese career, including a 5-0 mark at home. … McNeese’s last home, nonconference Division I win came against the Cajuns in 2014.
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