HISTORY & RECORDS
2010-11 REVIEW
TEAM PREVIEWS
2011-12 PREVIEW
SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE
McNEESE STATE COWBOYS DAVE SIMMONS
PATRICK RICHARD
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Sr., 6-4, 208 Forward Carencro, La. Carencro High School
Head Coach Louisiana Tech, 1981 Sixth Year Record at MCN: 70-83 Career Record: 97-113 (8th Yr.) Dave Simmons returned McNeese State to Southland Conference royalty last season, leading his team to the league title, its first since the early part of the last decade. The 20-win season his Cowboys produced was also the first for the school in nine years and the 15-2 home record was one of the very best. Now, he enters his sixth season with the goal of defending the league title. His coaching effort the past year earned him the Southland Conference Coach of the Year honors. He was also named the district coach of the year by the National Association of Basketball Coaches. He’s now 70-83 in five seasons with the Cowboys. He was an assistant coach at Louisiana Tech when the team went to the NIT Final Four and made two NCAA appearances. He was an assistant at Delta State when it won 24 games and appeared in the Division II Final Four and he was an assistant at Northwestern State when the Demons won back-to-back league crowns, participated in the NCAA and gave the Southland a first-round NCAA victory for the first time since the 1980s. During a 28-year career Simmons has coached more than 20 players who have gone on to play in the professional ranks including Karl Malone. Simmons is a member of the Louisiana Basketball Hall of Fame, having been inducted for his playing career at Louisiana Tech and he is one of the few current collegiate head coaches in the nation who scored more than 1,500 points during their playing careers.
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Richard is heading into his senior campaign as a returning first-team all-Southland Conference performer and state player of the year ... ran his career point total to 1,030 last season ... led the Cowboys with an average of 16.1 points per game ... scored double figures 28 times last year ... notched 10 or more points in his last 21 games ... made more than 50 percent of field goals in conference play, 76 percent of free throws and 42 percent of three-point shots ... recorded three double-doubles with 18 points and a career-high 16 rebounds against Southeastern Louisiana ... scored 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds against Texas State ... two-time team MVP and school’s athlete of the year for 2010-11 season.
DANIEL RICHARD
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Sr., 6-9, 190 Forward Lake Charles, La. Barbe High School Richard started 17 games last season for the Cowboys ... averaged 3.7 points and 2.5 rebounds per contest ... can play power forward and post positions ... scored a career-high 15 points against Jarvis Christian ... popped in 11 points in a conference semifinal victory over Texas State ... set personal best with six rebounds against Southwest Assemblies ... recorded five rebounds against Miami, Louisiana-Lafayette and Central Arkansas ... made 70 percent of his free throws overall and 74 percent in conference play ... honor roll student in Engineering ... named to Southland’s commissioner’s honor list.
DONTAE CANNON
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Jr., 6-1, 168 Guard Alexandria, La. Alexandria Senior High School Cannon is expected to run the Cowboy offense from the point guard position this season ... played in 25 games last year as sophomore ... scored a career-high 19 points and made a career-high 10 free throws in 18 minutes in a victory over the University of Southwest ... scored the game winning basket against Nicholls State ... missed first eight games because of an injury ... scored 10 points in 12 minutes in his first game back ... recorded a total of 205 points in his two seasons with the Cowboys.
2011-12 SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE BASKETBALL