Copeland fitting in to Cowboy rotation

Late last season, Quadir Copeland stood at center court of the former Carrier Dome surrounded by 25,000 fans dressed mostly in Orange.

Last Monday, in the tiny Sharp Gym, Copeland was back at center court. This time, only 875 fans were present.

The culture shock of the moment was nothing compared to what the junior guard experienced transferring from Syracuse to McNeese State.

It’s as different as upstate New York to Southwest Louisiana.

“Yeah, it was strange,” Copeland admitted. “The crowd was definitely different. But in the end, it’s still basketball.”

And Copeland loves playing basketball.

However, the transition from the traditional power program of the ACC to McNeese hasn’t always been smooth for Copeland, who, at 6 feet 6 inches, looks nothing like the usual Southland Conference point guard.

While Copeland was considered one of the Cowboys’ better additions in the offseason, he had trouble getting on the floor in the early going. Struggling for minutes in order to prove himself, Copeland and head coach Will Wade had more than a few moments of trepidation.

“He let me know he wasn’t always happy with how I was playing,” said Copeland. “One thing about Coach Wade is that he lets you know what he’s thinking.”

Wade admits to being tough on Copeland but took some of the blame for the guard’s early struggles.

“A lot of it was not his fault,” said Wade. “I moved him around. We started him at the point, then moved him to the four.

“We needed a guard like him to pass the ball. How we got here hasn’t been a smooth ride, but I’m proud of him.”

Since taking over the starting job at the point, the Cowboys have found their stride. Copeland has started seven games total for 12-5 McNeese, including the last six, all Southland victories.

In conference games alone, Copeland is averaging 12 points and, more importantly, 7.2 assists a game—a vast improvement from 7.1 and 2.1 in the 11 previous contests.

“Q always had the talent, but there are a lot of other things that come with being a point guard,” said Wade.

Copeland admitted the move to Lake Charles was tougher than he expected. He and fans thought he would immediately impact the Cowboys, who were coming off a 30-4 season with high expectations.

“This place humbles me,” said Copeland. “The biggest adjustment was being at a smaller school. There were a lot more distractions at Syracuse. McNeese has settled me down, matured me.”

Copeland also had to adjust to Wade. For a guy who has played in empty gyms during COVID for Hall of Fame coach Jim Boeheim, Wade was still different.

“It is 100 percent tough love,” said Copeland. “I feel the tough love he gives me shows my teammates he trusts me, and they can also trust me.

“Once he gives you the keys to the car, he is even tougher. He doesn’t just say here you go, just put gas in it. He knows what he wants from you and demands it.”

Always a pass-first guy, Copeland has earned his teammates’ trust.

“He (Copeland) gets you the ball in the right spot,” said senior Javohn Garcia. “He is fun to play with.”

Getting everybody involved in the offense is Copeland’s primary job.

“I want to make things easy for my teammates,” he said. “That way, they want to play with me, and the game becomes fun.”

While this season hasn’t always been fun for Copeland, it is now. For that, he thanks his new home Lake Charles.

“This place slows you down, but it also makes you enjoy the process,” said Copeland.

Now that Copeland’s at the wheel for the Cowboys, who have won seven straight games entering the weekend, the process is working.