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UT Rio Grande Valley hosts McNeese after Johnson’s 24-point performance

McNeese Cowboys (14-3, 7-1 Southland) at UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros (6-11, 2-6 Southland)

Edinburg, Texas; Saturday, 5:30 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: McNeese faces UT Rio Grande Valley after Larry Johnson scored 24 points in McNeese’s 94-68 win over the Nicholls State Colonels.

The Vaqueros have gone 4-4 in home games. UT Rio Grande Valley averages 74.4 points and has outscored opponents by 3.9 points per game.

The Cowboys are 7-1 against Southland opponents. McNeese is 11-2 in games decided by 10 or more points.

UT Rio Grande Valley’s average of 9.2 made 3-pointers per game this season is just 0.1 more made shots on average than the 9.1 per game McNeese gives up. McNeese has shot at a 48.8% clip from the field this season, 7.2 percentage points above the 41.6% shooting opponents of UT Rio Grande Valley have averaged.

The Vaqueros and Cowboys face off Saturday for the first time in conference play this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Filip Brankovic is shooting 51.9% and averaging 12.6 points for the Vaqueros. Koree Cotton is averaging 13.5 points over the last 10 games.

Johnson is averaging 16.5 points and 5.3 rebounds for the Cowboys. Tyshawn Archie is averaging 14.9 points over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Vaqueros: 4-6, averaging 71.4 points, 32.0 rebounds, 17.2 assists, 6.8 steals and 2.8 blocks per game while shooting 45.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 65.8 points per game.

Cowboys: 8-2, averaging 79.1 points, 32.0 rebounds, 13.5 assists, 9.6 steals and 4.1 blocks per game while shooting 47.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 69.8 points.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Ex-KU star and NBA coach Jacque Vaughn steps in as interim coach for No. 19 Jayhawks at Colorado

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Former Kansas standout and NBA coach Jacque Vaughn will serve as the interim coach for the No. 19 Jayhawks on the road against Colorado on Tuesday night while Bill Self continues to recover from a precautionary trip to the hospital. Self was taken to LMH Health late Monday after feeling unwell. He received IV fluids and was released, the school said in a statement, but the 63-year-old Hall of Fame coach did not make the trip with the Jayhawks to Boulder, Colorado. Self has missed several games in recent years because of heart issues, including the Big 12 and NCAA tournaments in 2023, when he had two stents inserted to help treat blocked arteries. Self had two more stents inserted last July. In those cases, longtime assistant Norm Roberts served as the interim coach; he retired from coaching after last season.
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