McNeese will play for an island title Monday, Sincere Parker made sure of it.

Parker, a transfer from St. Louis, scored his Cowboy-best 31 points, 27 coming in the second half, as McNeese advanced to the championship game of the Paradise Jam Invitational.

The Cowboys knocked off previously unbeaten Longwood 84-69 Sunday in the first semifinal game. They will play Liberty (5-1) at 7 p.m. Lake Charles time on St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Liberty upset Kansas State 67-65 in the late game.

The Cowboys improved to 4-2 with their third straight victory while the Landers, who play in the Big South, fell to 6-1. Both Longwood and McNeese made the NCAA Tournament last spring, which means this game is a good gauge for each.

“This is a huge win for us,” said McNeese head coach Will Wade. “We have never won a tournament like this. To do that would be huge and show the continued growth of our program.

“We are not where we want to be but we are not where we were either.”

The win was the third straight for McNeese, all against mid-major programs and expected to be in the top half of their respective leagues. Longwood is the defending Big South champ.

Parker led an old-school offense that took just 14 3-point shots and made only four. Most of the work was done in the paint and by Paker. The junior hit 12 of 17 shots from the field and all seven of his free-throw attempts in an overpowering display.

“I have to give credit to my teammates for getting me the ball and putting me in great positions,” Parker said. “It all felt good.”

McNeese scored 52 points in the paint, double that of Longwood. Forwards Christan Shumate and Joe Charles each had 12. Ironically, the two big men each hit two 3-pointers, accounting for the McNeese total.

“We just bludgeoned them in the paint,” said Wade. “We knew we had an advantage down low and we had Parker.”

McNeese shot 62 percent from the floor (18-23) while holding the Lancers to just 7 of 20 from long range. The Cowboys also forced seven turnovers.

Javhon Garcia chipped in nine points and Brandon Murray had eight for McNeese. Michael Christmas had 12 to lead the Lancers.

“It took us a few minutes to get started but we were able to withstand their punch,” said Wade. “We were able to pull away in the second half which we haven’t done much so far.”

Parker scored all nine points during a 9-0 run early in the second half as McNeese took a 52-34 lead. The lead would swell to 20 points at one time as Longwood was never able to mount much of a charge over the final 12 minutes.

McNeese took control through the midway portion of the first half behind its defense. The Cowboys forced 11 turnovers in the half.

“We were able to get some stops and create some turnovers,” said Wade. “We were flying around pretty good out there.”

Holding Longwood to just one field goal for over 10 minutes, the Cowboys went from seven down to up 30-19 with 3:14 left in the half.

Charles ended the run with a basket and 3-point shot, the first of the opening half for McNeese. Garcia and Charles each had seven points during the spurt.

Longwood managed to cut into the lead some getting it down to six at 32-26 with 1:17 to go but Shumate flushed his third dunk of the half and followed with a 3-pointer after Sincere Parker nailed a jumper. 

The Cowboys ended the first half up 37-28.

“We have played a brutal schedule,” said Wade. “I think you saw that payoff tonight.”

That, and getting Parker to transfer in the offseason.