Will Wade’s motto has always been his clubs will play any team, anywhere at any time.

Be careful what you wish for coach.

Wade’s Cowboys will get their chance to take on one of the best Monday night when they travel to No. 2 Alabama in Tuscaloosa. 

“It will be a large step up in weight class,” said Wade. “They are the best team in the country in my opinion.”

Tip-off in Coleman Coliseum is set for 6 p.m. on the SEC Network. 

The McNeese State did win its only game against a power conference opponent last year, beating Michigan. The Tide, however, is at a different level right now.

“They are really, really good,” said Wade. “I have a lot of respect for what coach (Nate) Oats has done over there.”

Respect maybe, but in the past the two had some high-energy battles when Wade was at LSU. The McNeese coach said those days are gone.

“It was a rivalry,” said Wade. “We were in the same league and recruiting the same kids. We are happy he was willing to schedule us. Not everybody would do that.”

For McNeese State (1-1) Alabama will be the highest-ranked team the program has ever faced. The Cowboys opened the 2013-14 season against No. 2 Michigan State, falling 98-56.

“It is a huge opportunity for us,” said McNeese guard Javhon Garcia. “We have to play our style. It is great to be in that environment.”

Alabama (2-0) made it to the Final Four last season and has its sights set on a national title after opening with wins over North Carolina-Ashville and Arkansas State. 

“We know we have to bring it,” said McNeese transfer Sincere Parker. “We know there are things we can’t allow them to do.

“It is going to be chaos.”

Garcia scored 21 points and Parker added 20 to lead the Cowboys to their first win of the season Thursday night, a 111-57 thumping of non-Division I College of Biblical Studies inside the Legacy Center.

That came after a season-opening loss to fellow mid-major South Dakota State. 

“Good to get on the winning track,” Wade said after the win.

Garcia finished 8-for-11 from the floor and 3 of 6 on three-pointers.

“I was just playing through the offense,” said Garcia. “I’ll do anything we need for us to win.”

Garcia started at point guard in the opener. Thursday Omar Cooper, who was last year’s starter at the point but didn’t play at South Dakota State, started and played 28 minutes, moving Garcia to the shooting guard spot..

Cooper dished out a career-high 13 assists while grabbing eight rebounds and scoring four points in his season debut.

“Cooper got our pace going and played a good game,” said Wade. “I give him a lot of credit, he has stayed ready. He showed why we value him.”

Parker played 28 minutes as well after having just five in limited time during the opener. Parker has been slowed in the preseason with injuries.

“It was good to see Parker dust some of the rust off,” said Wade. “We saw a little of what he can do.”

“It is never easy fighting through injuries,” said Parker. “Tonight we got into a grove and corrected a lot of little mistakes.”

A total of seven Cowboys had at least nine points with six of them reaching double figures. Quadir Copeland had 17 points, 13 coming in the second half. He also had four assists and seven rebounds.

“We still got to get everyone buying into their roles and get our chemistry right,” said Garcia. “We are working on that.”

Frank Madubuku led all scorers with 24 for CBS.

McNeese shot 60 percent from the floor (42-70) and was 10-for-30 from long range. 

Joe Charles started the Cowboys off by hitting a pair of threes in the first three minutes to give the Pokes a 12-0 lead. Parker’s 3-point play with 7:52 in the half made it 31-10 McNeese.

Christian Shumate took a pass from Brandon Murray with just over six minutes left and finished with his first dunk of the season for a 37-12 advantage At the half McNeese led 51-24.

Garcia opened the second half with back-to-back treys and then two free throws, while Shumate sandwiched in three points of his own to make it 61-24 with 16:31 to play.

After that McNeese put on a show, finishing the rest of the game with five dunks to make it a blowout.

DJ Richards finished with 13 points while Charles added 12 and Bryant Selebangue chipped in 10.