LAKE CHARLES—McNeese women's basketball will look to begin the new year like it ended 2017- with a victory when the Cowgirls return to Burton Coliseum Wednesday, Jan. 3 to host Abilene Christian in a Southland Conference game beginning at 6:30 p.m. The game can be heard on Cajun Radio (1470 AM).
 
At every Cowgirl conference home game- fans will have the chance to win a $200 Boreing Vision gift card and $240 in cash prizes, courtesy of Universal Coin. Those who would like to participate in the halftime challenges should visit the marketing table at courtside to sign up for a chance to play.
 
McNeese (6-7, 2-0 SLC) is off to its best conference start since the 2014-15 season and will be looking to start 3-0 in league play for the first time since the 2011-12 team started conference at 6-0.
 
For the past two conference games, McNeese has gotten scoring from multiple players and has had at least three players end with 10 or more points. In its recent game against Northwestern State on Saturday, it was freshman Bre'Ashlee Jones who had a break out game. Jones ended the game with her first career double-double by scoring a career high 15 points and pulling down a career high 12 rebounds. Jones enters the game averaging a double-double (11.0 ppg., 10.0 rpg.) in conference games only.
 
Senior Mercedes Rogers, who moved into 10^th place in McNeese career rebounds last Saturday, also picked up a double-double by leading the Cowgirls in scoring with 17 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.
 
Sophomore point guard Caitlin Davis leads McNeese in scoring with 11.2 ppg., 5.8 apg. and is averaging 15.0 ppg. and 6.0 apg. in SLC games. Senior Keara Hudnall is averaging in 10.5 ppg. and Jones leads the team with 6.6 rpg.
 
Abilene Christian (8-4) is also 2-0 in league play after defeating UNO 80-70 and Sam Houston State 83-65. This will be the first conference road game for the Wildcats. ACU has three players averaging in double figures with Dominique Golightly leading in both scoring and rebounds with 13.2 ppg. and 7.2 rpg. Breanna Wright is averaging 11.7 ppg. and Sara Williamsom is averaging 12.5 ppg.
 
Abilene Christian leads the all-time series 3-1 against McNeese and has won the last three meetings. The last Cowgirl win over ACU was 71-64 during the 2013-14 season.