LAKE CHARLES--  Junior Jayln Johnson led McNeese in scoring with 10 points and freshman Frederica Haywood grabbed a game high 12 rebounds in a 75-55 women's basketball loss to Tulane Sunday.
 
"Tulane played a tremendous game," said head coach Brooks Donald Williams. "They have a tough, well-coached veteran team.  We knew it was going to be a challenge for us. There is no question it made us better."
 
McNeese (1-1) struggled from the field the whole game and didn't help their cause by committing 20 turnovers. On the other hand, Tulane shot the ball light out on their end of the floor, ending the game with a 50.0 field goal percent, connecting on 30 of 60 of their shots.
 
Tulane (2-0) scored the first two points of the game and never trailed from that point on and took their first double digit lead (26-16) with 5:53 left in the first half.  McNeese cut the lead back to single digits on a trey by Dede Sheppard with seven seconds left.
 
The Cowgirls couldn't build on that momentum from the end of the first half as Tulane held a double digit lead for most of the second half.
 
Trailing by 13 with 11:38 to play, McNeese went on a 6-0 run to cut the lead Tulane to seven (51-44).  Heywood started the rally by making one of two free throws, a layup by Johnson cut the lead to 10 (51-41) with 10 minutes to play.  Sheppard canned the first of two free throws and Mercedes Rogers crabbed an offensive rebound and made a crafty move for a layup to cut the lead to seven. Tulane scored the next five points to up the lead back to double digits but the Cowgirls responded with a trey of their own from Johnson to cut the lead back to single digits.
 
A jumper by Tulane's Kolby Morgan gave the Green Wave a double digit lead for good as they went on to outscore McNeese 15-5 the final eight minutes of the game.
 
"I thought we competed hard and we just have to get back to work," said Williams.
 
Tulane was led in scoring by Tiffany Dale and Chinwe Duru. Both players ended the game with 10 points apiece.  Tierra Jones led a trio of Green Wave in rebounds with 16. Danielle Blagg grabbed 13 and Kolby had 12.
 
McNeese will host LSU-Alexandria on Thursday, Nov. 20 in a 7 p.m. game and Southern Miss at 2 p.m. Sunday.