Coming off their dramatic last-second victory Monday night, the Cowboys will put their 12-game win streak on the line Saturday inside the Legacy Center.

Just two wins off the program record for straight victories, McNeese State will try to continue its undefeated run in the Southland Conference as it hosts New Orleans at 4 p.m.

With a win the Cowboys, 17-2, 6-0, will set the mark for the best start in their history, topping that of the 1973-74 club. UNO (7-12, 2-4) will try to return to the race.

Despite their record, McNeese head coach Will Wade continues to look for improvement,

“Our offense has to be better,” Wade said. “We have to finish better in the paint and at the rim.”

The game will showcase the two top scorers in the league, Jordan Johnson (UNO) and Shahada Wells of McNeese. The two have won four of the league’s Player of the Week honors already and earned three such national awards.

Johnson is coming off a 35-point performance in a loss to Houston Christian last Monday. The Privateers have not won a game against a Division I opponent in which Johnson has scored less than 29 points.

Stopping him will be a key for the Cowboys.

“He is playing at a tremendous level,” said Wade. “We can’t give him open looks. We have to contest his shots and close out on him.

“They are also a very physical team. They are going to test us on the inside.”

While Johnson averages 22.5 points a game Wells is next at 18.4 despite having a rough shooting week. He tops four Pokes averaging in double figures.

Junior Christian Shumate is second at 12.1 points and a league-best 9.8 rebounds a night. DJ Richards scores at a 10.9 a clip off the bench while Javohn Garcia adds 10.2 a game.

Center Antavion Collum is also close to double figures at 9.7.

Wade knows UNO has a history of being strong in the conference.

“They are traditionally one of the better teams in our league,” said Wade. “We hope we have a good crowd.”

The Pokes are looking to build on their 18-point second-half comeback at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi last time out.

“It’s hard to explain,” said Richards. “We don’t feel like we are out of any game. When we see a little life we just attack.”

A win would keep the Cowboys at least two games up in the league standings as they look for their first regular season title since 2011. They last went to the NCAA Tournament in 2002 under head coach Tic Price.

The Pokes are 9-0 at home and swept the season series against UNO last year despite Johnson scoring 26 in the second game. He did not play in the first meeting due to injury.

In that contest McNeese rallied from 22 points down in the second half to win, the biggest such comeback in program history. Last Monday night is second.

McNeese will be back in the Legacy Center this Monday when they play Northwestern State in a rematch of Jan. 8 in Natchitoches. The Cowboys rallied in that one in the second half as well behind Wells’ 18 points for a 68-59 victory.