McNeese State's upset of Clemson highlights a roster trend high school recruits now face

McNeese State joins the list of classic 12-5 upset stories in March Madness history, with the Cowboys pulling off a stunner over Clemson in the first round.

It's the first-ever NCAA tournament victory for the Southland Conference team, which entered this game with plenty of interesting storylines, including head coach Will Wade, who is headed to NC State next season.

Now moving ahead to the Round of 32—the first Southland Conference squad to advance since Abilene Christian (2021)—many are diving in for a look at this Louisiana-based program.

One glance at the roster, and you'll notice an interesting trend: The Transfer Portal.

MCNEESE IS SECOND ROUND BOUND 🤠

The Cowboys upset (5) Clemson 69-67 to survive and advance 🙌#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/Gw165NiDTe
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 20, 2025

While the team hasn't made much traction in the high school recruiting game, the Cowboys finished in the top 50 in the 2024 team rankings for transfers.

Javohn Garcia, who committed to McNeese in 2023 and was the team's PPG leader this season, is a rarity among the lineup that took out the Tigers. He joins Christian Shumate, who entered the transfer portal and then withdrew, as Cowboys starters who committed to the team out of high school.

Joe Charles transferred from Louisiana-Lafayette.

DJ Richards Jr. transferred from UTSA.

Quadir Copeland transferred from Syracuse.

Brandon Murray, who was massive off the bench, came over from Ole Miss. Sincere Parker, who was equally impactful, came over from Saint Louis.

A shinning example for high school basketball recruiting?

In a word: Yes.

From a recruiting perspective, McNeese holds down impressive territory and highlights what makes the high school prospect's journey a tad more arduous in the current landscape.

Of course, four- and five-star prospects will remain at a premium. However, lesser-known or lower-rated recruits will find themselves battling against roster needs that are being filled out by the portal.

The overall concept isn't anything new, mind you, and not even sport-specific. But when it unfolds on the national stage that is March Madness, you certainly see it a lot more clearly…

High school recruits these days don't only need to pay strong attention to their incoming class and current roster; they also need to consider the unknowns—re: who else isn't happy at a major conference team and beyond?

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY High School Sports Wire: Transfer Portal Kings: McNeese State part of growing recruiting trend

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