LAKE CHARLES--  McNeese women's basketball game back from an 11-point deficit and Amber Donnes scored a career-high 17 points to lead the Cowgirls in a 74-70 non-conference win Monday night.
 
"I thought we got a tough win tonight against a good team," said head coach Brooks Donald Williams. "I am proud of our girls for their effort and fight down the stretch."
 
McNeese improved to 6-5 on the year while Texas Southern fell to 3-8 overall.  Donnes was joined in double figure scoring by Allison Baggett (17), Jayln Johnson (15) and Talisa Boyd (10).  Donnes was 6-of-11 from the field including a career high five three-pointers.  Johnson ended the game dishing out a career high 14 assists.  
 
The Cowgirls trailed 37-31 at the half and trailed by as many as nine points with 11:07 left in the half.  Texas Southern dominated the boards in the first half, outrebounding McNeese 21-11. 
 
McNeese picked up its defensive efforts in the second half and turned the table in the rebound category.  The Cowgirls outrebounded the Tigers 23-20 in the second half and held Texas Southern to only seven-second chance points. 
 
The Cowgirls' comeback began with an Alaina Verdin jumper with 15:42 left in the game.  That bucket started a 14-4 run and ended with a three-pointer by Johnson that gave the Cowgirls a 50-49 lead.  After Texas Southern retook the lead on their next possession, McNeese went on another run (12-7) to take its largest lead of the second half.
 
Texas Southern fought their way back to retake the lead 70-67 with 2:21 to play but  back-to-back buckets by Talisa Boyd gave McNeese a 71-70 lead with 1:04.  The Tigers had several chances in the final minute to score but Johnson iced the game at the free throw line, scoring the Cowgirls' last three points at the charity stripe.
 
McNeese will host preseason favorite Stephen F. Austin Jan. 3 in its Southland Conference opener.