LAKE CHARLES – McNeese's Desharick Guidry and Louisiana-Lafayette's Shawn Long traded stats from last year's game to Saturday night's contest.
 
Last year, Long scored 29 points and had 15 rebounds in leading the Cajuns to a 92-66 beat down over the Cowboys. On Saturday night, Guidry returned the favor by scoring 29 points to go along with a career-high 16 boards in leading the Cowboys to an 80-70 win and extending his steam's home winning streak over ULL to five games.
 
"Every time we play these guys it's personal," said Guidry. "I remember that game well. We wanted to come out and put on a good show for our fans and I thought we did that."
 
Kevin Hardy added to the excitement with 13 points and 11 boards and threw down five dunks. Jamaya Burr added 14 points and Keelan Garrett had 11 as the Cowboys improved to 4-2 on the season and remained perfect at home, now 4-0.
 
proud of the kids with how they came out with the energy and intensity," said head coach Dave Simmons. "I thought Desharick and Kevin both did good jobs scoring points and getting rebounds."
 
Long, who has missed a couple games this season with an injury, led the Cajuns (3-4) with 18 points and 11 rebounds.
 
"It's a good feeling," said Hardy of the win. "To get a win against one of your rivals is always great."
 
Guidry sparked the Cowboys to a 41-31 halftime lead behind 18 points and 12 rebounds in the first half.
 
"I feel like that may have been my best first half in my career," said Guidry. "I had a lot of confidence going. Every game we go into I want to go in with the mind to win."
 
Guidry knocked down all six of his shots in the half, including a three-pointer, and was 5 of 6 from the free throw line. He ended the game 8 for 10 from the field and 12 of 13 at the charity stripe.
 
ULL (3-4) scored the game's first eight points before McNeese put together a 10-2 run to knot the game at 10-10 with 13:41 to play following two Guidry free throws. The Cajuns went up 27-24 after a Kasey Shepherd jumper with 4:22 to play but then McNeese rolled up an 11-0 run that was started by Guidry's three with 4:09 to play. He scored eight of the Cowboys' final 10 points in the half, all coming with less than 2:30 to play.
 
McNeese never trailed again.
 
The Cowboys went up by 12 early in the second half behind two Austin Lewis free throws but ULL went on a 14-5 run to cut the gap to two points with 15 minutes to play. The margin juggled between four and seven points the next three minutes when Hardy and Guidry took over again.
 
Keelan Garrett, who finished with 11 points and two 3-point baskets, started a streak that saw McNeese's lead jump back up to 12 behind a couple of dunks by Hardy and Guidry and after the Cajuns were able to cut the lead back down to five points with 8:46 to play after a three-pointer from Steven Wronkoski, Hardy responded with a jumper and Guidry sank three free throws after getting fouled on a 3-point attempt to make it 69-59 with 5:34 to play.
 
Garrett iced the game with his second trey of the night with 2:05 to play to make it 78-66.
 
The Cowboys connected on 40 percent of their shots from the field, hitting 26 of 65 but drained 24 of 29 for 83 percent from the free throw line, including 15 of 16 in the second half. McNeese held a 47-38 advantage in rebounds and scored 24 second chance points off 17 offensive boards.
 
ULL hit 43 percent (29-67) from the field and was 3 of 20 for 15 percent from long range.
 
Brian Williams was the only other Cajun to scored in double-figures as he finished with 15 points.
 
McNeese will return to action next Saturday when it visits TCU then will return home on Dec. 16 against LSU-Alexandria to start a three-game home stand.