Clemson alum Will Wade says he'll be 'all McNeese' when ball goes up for NCAA opener against Tigers

It will be old home week for McNeese State coach Will Wade.

The 12th-seeded Cowboys open the NCAA Tournament in Providence, Rhode Island, on Thursday against No. 5 Clemson, Wade's alma mater and the place where he began his coaching career as a graduate assistant under Oliver Purnell.

“First time I hear that fight song, I'll twirl my arms on the ‘O-N,’ ” Wade joked Sunday night, referring to the tradition of Clemson fans spelling out the school's name at the end of “Tiger Rag.”

“I follow the football program very closely. We don't practice when they play football. But I've been gone a long time. It’s a great place, great people, I know a lot of folks there. I'm sure my phone will have beautiful messages when I check them. When that ball goes up, I'm all McNeese.”

The 42-year-old Wade's path has been anything but smooth.

He was out of the college game for a year following his 2022 firing from LSU for alleged recruiting violations. He consulted for the scouting departments of some NBA teams before McNeese State hired him following its 11th straight losing season.

The Cowboys' rapid transformation has Wade back as one of the hottest coaches in the nation, and his name has been connected to the opening at North Carolina State.

No wonder.

He's 57-10 in two years at McNeese State and, not including his one-year hiatus, he'll make his seventh straight tournament appearance — with three different schools.

This one has special meaning. He was a student manager at Clemson from 2002-05, a graduate assistant in 2005-06 and director of basketball operations in 2006-07.

His first head coaching job was at Chattanooga from 2013-15. Next stop was VCU, where he had two tournament appearances in two seasons. From there it was on to LSU, where he led three of his five teams to the tournament but didn't coach in the last one because he was fired six days before it started.

McNeese State went 30-4 last season and lost 86-65 to Gonzaga as a 12-seed. The Cowboys are 0-3 all-time in the tournament. With the game against Clemson being a 5-12 matchup, there will be plenty of fans predicting an upset.

“If we won, it would be just incredible," Wade said. "I don't think it's a massive step we have to take. Keep getting there, keep getting favorable matchups and keep giving yourself an opportunity and hopefully you crack it down. Hopefully it's this year. If not, let's keep getting there and eventually it will happen.”

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FILE - McNeese State head coach Will Wade signals to his players during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Alabama, Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt, File)

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Indiana Pacers held four starters out at Minnesota on Monday night, including stars Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam, and the final member of their usual starting five was ejected in the third quarter when Andrew Nembhard got his second technical foul of the game.

Forward Aaron Nesmith was scratched for management of his left ankle injury that kept him out for 35 games earlier this season. Center Myles Turner was out with a bruised left hip.

Nembhard was punished for chucking the ball at Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert, who lowered a shoulder to check Nembhard's drive after he clipped Timberwolves point guard Mike Conley with an elbow to the chest.

Nembhard's first technical foul came midway through the first quarter. Gobert was also automatically ejected after an official replay review resulted in a Flagrant 2 foul call on him.

Siakam's first absence as a member of the Pacers, who acquired him 14 months ago in a trade with Toronto, was due to personal reasons. The three-time All-Star forward leads the team with an average of 20.9 points per game.

Haliburton sat with lower back soreness. An All-Star in each of the previous two seasons, Haliburton missed three games earlier this month because of a left hip flexor strain. The Pacers lost all three of those without their point guard.

Rookie reserve Johnny Furphy was also unavailable because of an illness, leaving the Pacers particularly short-handed against the surging Timberwolves. Nembhard moved to point guard and was joined in the original starting lineup by Bennedict Mathurin in the backcourt, Obi Toppin and Jarace Walker at the forward spots and Thomas Bryant at center.

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Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, front, and Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard battle for a loose ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, March 17, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)

Indiana Pacers' Myles Turner, right, reacts past Philadelphia 76ers' Adem Bona after scoring during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, March 14, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Indiana Pacers' Pascal Siakam, left, goes up for a shot past Philadelphia 76ers' Ricky Council IV during the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, March 14, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Indiana Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton (0) passes the ball against Milwaukee Bucks' Damian Lillard during the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, March 15, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)