Cowgirls fall short in comeback against UTRGV

LAKE CHARLES — McNeese women’s basketball’s rallied late in the game but fell short in a 68-60 home loss Thursday night to UT Rio Grande Valley inside the Legacy Center.

“The major factor in tonight’s game was I thought they well and got some confidence against Oklahoma State the other night. We didn’t have good rotations, we didn’t block out like we should have, we had too many turnovers and we missed way too many open shots, and we fouled too much.”

Three Cowgirls scored in double figures- Desirae Hansen, Le’Shenae Stubblefield, and Stephanie Guihon all scored 11 points apiece. Hansen finished the game with a double double, grabbing a game high 10 rebounds.

McNeese (1-1) got off to a slow start and trailed 8-0 in the first three minutes of the game but ended the quarter on a 4-0 run to pull to within four (17-13).

The Cowgirls scored the first four points of the second quarter to take an 18-17 lead, but UTRGV (1-1) went on a 17-5 run to take a 34-23 lead with 1:20 left in the first half. Two late free throws by Guihon cut the UTRGV lead to single digits as the half ended.

UTRGV held as much as a 15-point lead twice in the third quarter, but the Cowgirls managed to end the quarter only trailing by nine points (46-37) on a Paris Mullins layup as the quarter ended.

With the Vasqueros leading 55-45 with 4:30 to play, McNeese six straight points on two free throws by Hansen, and four points by Stubblefield’s two free throws and a layup to pull to within 55-51. UTRGV would up their lead back up to eight on four straight free throws to extend its lead to 59-51.

McNeese would cut the lead to four points two more times with the score at 59-54 and again at 61-57 but that would be as close as the Cowgirls would get.

UTRGV outrebounded McNeese 47-35 including 17 offensive rebounds. Mele Kailahi led all players with 21 points while Tiffany McGarity chipped in with 10 points.

“We’ve got a lot to learn but we are fortunate it’s only the second game of the season.”

McNeese will return to action next week to begin its Midwest trip beginning at Illinois next Wednesday, Nov. 16. The Cowgirls will also play at Bradley (Nov. 19), at nationally ranked Ohio State (Nov. 20) and at Xavier (Nov. 22).

The next home game for the Cowgirls will be a Nov. 29 game against Arkansas State.