GAME STATS

LAKE CHARLES – Desharick Guidry set a new McNeese school record with his ninth-consecutive double-double game after he scored 13 points with 15 rebounds, but that would be the only bright spot for the Cowboys on Monday night as the bigger and stronger Central Michigan Chippewas powered their way to an 87-58 blow-out win.
 
The loss was the second straight suffered by the Cowboys (5-5), both to members of the MAC. McNeese lost by 14 to Toledo on Saturday. CMU improved to 9-1 on the season.
 
CMU used its big men to outslug the Cowboys under the goal by scoring 40 points in the paint, and caught fire from the perimeter where it knocked down 9 of 25 from long range.
 
But it wasn't all Chippewas for the contest.
 
McNeese stormed out of the gate and looked like it was ready for the challenge and held a 21-14 lead midway through the first half. After a Kevin Hardy free throw tied the game at 24-24 to halt a CMU run, the Chippewas rolled off 17 straight points before outscoring the Cowboys 19-3 in the final 7:48 of the half.
 
The Cowboys went the final 8:46 of the first half and the first 4:18 of the second half without a field goal. The drought was snapped when Guidry hit a jumper to make it 53-32 with 15:42 to play.
 
"We knew coming in they were going to be really big and could shoot the ball really well," said McNeese coach Dave Simmons.
 
The Cowboys' strength underneath was weakened early in the game when Austin Lewis, the nation's No. 2 shot blocker, left the game with a twisted ankle just two minutes into the contest. He never returned.
 
That opened the door for the Chippewas to take advantage in the paint with their stock pile of 6-foo-9 or taller players. And what CMU couldn't do on the inside was made up for on the outside.
 
Five CMU players hit three-pointers and John Simons connected on 3 of 5 long behind the arc to lead the team with 13 points. Austin Keel and Chris Fowler added 12 points each. CMU hit 23 of 64 for 50 percent for the game and missed just 13 of its 31 shots in the first half (18 of 31 for 58 percent) as it built a 43-27 lead at the break.
 
Hardy led McNeese with 14 points to go along with seven rebounds. Keelan Garrett followed with 12 points as the Cowboys hit 20 of 60 from the field for 33 percent including a 7 of 24 mark from 3-point range for 29 percent.
 
Central Michigan led on the glass by a 47-34 margin and dished out 16 assists on its 32 shots made.
 
McNeese will break for the Christmas holiday but will return to action on Dec. 30 when it visits Mississippi in the final tune-up before starting Southland Conference play at home on Jan. 3 against defending league champion Stephen F. Austin.