by Sports Xchange

Updated: October 9, 2008, 12:00 AM EST

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--McNeese must find some offense from someone other than John Pichon. Last season, with seniors John Ford and Jarvis Bradley, the Cowboys were 10th in the Southland, scoring 64.7 a game. That's a concern as Ford and Bradley were the team's two leading scorers. While McNeese remains a nice defensive bunch, the Cowboys will need points from another source.

--After 20 seasons of using the same floor at Burton Coliseum, McNeese had a changeover this summer, laying down a new floor.

STRENGTHS: Small forward. John Pichon is one of the most exciting players to watch in the Southland. He attacks the boards, attacks the man he marks and slams with a flourish. Now he must be the consistent scorer and team leader. C Kleon Penn progressed slightly on offense, but the 7-footer, who took up basketball in his teens, is mostly a solid defensive presence. Two seasons ago, McNeese was an outside shooter away from fielding a nice, complementing starting five. G Diego Kapelan filled the void -- and the net -- at times. At other times, the Cowboys still were searching for that outside shot.

WEAKNESSES: Point guard and power forward come to mind. John Ford was a do-it-all point, a tough player who drove the lane, helped his teammates and made -- for the most part -- the big shot. Stephan Martin flashed potential at times last season, showing he could match Ford's ability to score and run the point. But losing Ford will cause a difficult adjustment.

Jarvis Bradley was the powerful inside player with good athleticism. Bradley led the team in scoring. Reserve Aldryan Wardell also is gone, meaning McNeese will sport a fresh look at the "four".

The team lost Ford and, even with him, was 11th in the league last season in turnover margin, getting forced into miscues 4.59 times a game more than creating turnovers. That must change.

LAST YEAR: 13-16 overall; 7-9 Southland Conference; lost to Sam Houston in the Southland Tournament first round.

HEAD COACH: Dave Simmons (career, 55-63); third year at McNeese (28-33).

QUOTE TO NOTE: "This is certainly a boost for our program. I look for him to continue to improve and be a force for us this season. I want to thank our administration for following through on this situation and coming to a positive conclusion." -- McNeese coach Dave Simmons on C Kleon Penn receiving an extra season of eligibility.