Garcia right on schedule
Published 8:54 am Thursday, February 12, 2026
McNeese guard still playing his game
As the Cowboys begin their stretch run, their man guy appears to be finding his stride.
Last season, Javohn Garcia made every big play as McNeese State won its second straight Southland Conference title and earned back-to-back trips to the NCAA Tournament.
There, they found Garcia hitting the clinching free throw in the Cowboys’ first-ever NCAA victory, a win over Clemson in the first round.
It was a fitting touch to Garcia’s season. The guard was named the SLC Player of the Year and postseason tournament MVP for his big-play dominance.
This year has been different for Garcia. He has spent most of it doing the little things to help the Cowboys, who enter this weekend 20-5 and 13-3 in the conference.
“He is a warrior,” Bill Armstrong said. “He does whatever we need him to do to win.”
Despite battling a flu bug that zapped his energy and suffering through some heavy legs, Garcia has battled his issues this season without complaint. When asked how he’s feeling, his answer has always been, “I’m good.”
While it may not seem like it, he has been.
Garcia’s numbers are close to last year’s when put side by side. He is averaging 11.7 points per game, down from 12.6 last season. That goes with his shooting 1.2 fewer shots per game.
His shooting percentage from the field is up from 43.1 percent to 45.9, and his 3-point percentage is the same at 35.4. Garcia is down .4 in rebounds but up in blocks and steals, while almost even in assists.
In other words, Javohn Garcia is playing like Javohn Garcia despite some leg issues that forced him to miss a lot of the last 10 minutes of the Stephen F. Austin loss.
All that despite not getting the calls most reigning league MVPs usually get.
“JG is our most consistent player,” said Armstrong. “I may play him too much because he is the one I trust the most. I’m more comfortable when he’s on the floor.”
Garcia looks like he has gotten his legs back lately, saving McNeese last Monday with an 18-point performance in a four-point win over Houston Christian.
“I am feeling better,” said Garcia. “I feel like I am getting back to my old self. I’m feeling good.”
The perception that he is struggling is far from reality. Garcia is playing like he has for the two previous seasons, solid and consistent.
His coach thinks he’s ready to take off and have a big finish.
“We have talked about Javohn becoming a little more aggressive,” said Armstrong. “I think we are starting to see that.”
That’s good news for McNeese fans and not so good news for the rest of the Southland Conference.
