Jumping right into the fire, the Cowboys will find out a lot about themselves Monday.

Coming off their 30-4 record season, McNeese State opens year two under head coach Will Wade with even higher hopes and an elevated schedule. 

The Cowboys travel to Sioux Falls, S.D. to take on the Jackrabbits of South Dakota State, a solid mid-major program from the Summit League.

The game is part of the inaugural Field of 68 Showcase at 5 p.m. inside the Sanford Pentagon.

Wade called the game “extremely, extremely tough,” as the Jackrabbits have posted a 65-15 league record over the last five years. Twice in that span, they have made the NCAA Tournament.

“This will be one of the most challenging games of the year, a big challenge,” Wade said. “It is one of the toughest games we will have. They are what we want to be at the low mid-major level.”

McNeese will have to contend with 6-foot-11 center Oscar Cluff, who transferred to SDSU from Washington State in the offseason. The 260-pound senior will be a load to handle for the Cowboys in the paint.

At Washington State Cluff started 23 of 35 games for the Cougars, who advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament last spring. He averaged 7 points on a 53.8% field goal percentage, and 4.4 rebounds per game.

Cluff had 21 points and 13 rebounds in the Jackrabbits’ 90-77 exhibition game win over Black Hills State this fall.

“They are an extremely physical team and will play a solid style,” said Wade.

On Thursday Wade gave a roster update on his team.

Transfer forward Jerome Brewer will miss the early part of the season and may redshirt if his ankle injury takes longer than first expected to improve. Guards Mike Suanders and T’Johnn Brown will also redshirt.

Brown, a sophomore, has improved greatly during the offseason but is caught in a numbers game right now for playing time.

“We probably made a mistake with T’Johnn,” Wade admitted. “We should have redshirted him last year and not this year.”

The Cowboys will also have guard Sincere Parker on a minutes limitation. 

“We have 10 guys who will be ready to go,” said Wade. “We are not all there yet. We are not going to be a finished product Monday.

“I believe we are going to be a really good team. Will we be a really good team Monday I don’t know. For the first three or four weeks we will be a work in progress.”

Ready or not, the Cowboy season is set to begin Monday.