THE FIRST few days of March Madness has already seen an upset take place, with the McNeese Cowboys stunning the Clemson Tigers in the opening round of the East region on Friday.

The 12th seeded Cowboys came into the clash as underdogs against the Tigers, who had finished the season ranked fifth. Clemson has built a roster with plenty of standout players, and would take some stopping on the big stage.

However, the college basketball world was stunned when McNeese restricted the Tigers to just 13 points in the first half. It was a masterful defensive performance and allowed the Cowboys to build an impressive 24-point lead. As expected, Clemson was much better in the second half, and came home like a wet sail in the closing minutes, but the Cowboys were good enough to hold on for a two-point win.

With that in mind, Rookie Me Central will be casting an eye over how the key players performed in the match, as some of the NCAAM’s best and brightest continue to display their craft on a nightly basis.

McNeese Cowboys (69) def. Clemson Tigers (67)

COWBOYS:

#23 Brandon Murray

The guard delivered his best performance in a Cowboys uniform on the big stage, and played an enormous role in getting Clemson into the next stage of the National Tournament. Coming off the bench, Murray made an immediate impact for McNeese and was the most impactful Cowboy for the entire match. He posted 14 of his 21 points in the first half, producing a blistering start to the match to help his side out to a big lead. Although quieter in the second half, his impact was undeniable and he was a massive factor in the result.

#24 Christian Shumate

It was another double-double from the senior big man, who was his usual reliable self in the stunning result from the Cowboys. He did what had to be done in the low block, throwing his weight around and making life difficult for his Clemson counterparts. On the offensive end, his timing and touch around the rim was excellent, able to avoid the defence more often than not, and his efficiency (6/8 FG) reflects that in a big way. He was also a workhorse on the boards with 11 rebounds (five offensive) and swatted a pair of shots to cap off a successful night.

TIGERS:

#1 Chase Hunter

Despite the final result, Hunter was still one of the more impactful players on the court, working his way into the game after he and the team proved far too quiet in the first half. The change in mindset was evident in the second half, with Hunter looking much more aggressive as the game rolled on. Although it was not his most accurate night from behind the arc, shooting 2/7 from long range, it was his ability to draw contact that ignited a spark within the Tigers. Although his efforts to lead the comeback charge fell painfully short, he still finished with 21 points on 9/10 shooting from the charity stripe.

#11 Jaeden Zackary

Although his team was shocked with an upset loss, Zackary still managed to be the most productive offensive player on the court, and never stopped trying to get some offence rolling for his side. He had some timely makes from behind the arc in the second half, which helped his team get some much needed offensive cohesion and momentum within the context of the game. Although well-held in the first half, he was tremendous in the final 20 minutes, and finished his tournament with 24 points on 9/19 shooting from the field and 4/8 shooting from long range.