Box Score HUNTSVILLE, Texas—The McNeese women's basketball team gave head coach Brooks Donald Williams a belated birthday gift Saturday that made her the all-time winningest coach in McNeese history, a 79-74 win over Sam Houston State.
 
Williams, now in her eighth season, picked up her 132^nd career win, surpassing the record held by current associate athletics director and compliance coordinator Bridget Martin.
 
"I am really proud of our girls for playing through an extremely hot shooting Sam Houston State team," said head coach Brooks Donald Williams. "They were on fire tonight shooting 70 percent in the first half. Our girls continued to battle. I thought we played by committee in the paint, offensively and defensively."
 
Sophomore Amber Donnes scored a career high 21 points and tied her career high with five three pointers while Jayln Johnson ended the game with 22 points including 10 of 12 from the free throw line to lead the Cowgirls to their first road win of the season.
 
"Our guards did a good job of attacking the zone and getting it to the hot hand, which was certainly Amber Donnes," Williams said. "It was a great team win and great to get our first conference road win."
 
McNeese outscored SHSU 35-26 in the second half and used a full-court press and team effort to pick up the victory. McNeese scored 14 of their points off 17 SHSU turnovers and got 16 from its bench including season high's from Jasmyn Carswell and Hannah Cupit. 
 
McNeese trailed 48-44 at the half before coming back to tie the game at 54 all on free throws by Johnson, four minutes into the second half.  A rebound and put back by Ann Nwosah gave the Cowgirls the lead and one they wouldn't give up.  The Cowgirls would tie their largest lead of the game of five points (62-57) with 10:50 to play. After the seventh tie of the game with five minutes to play, Donnes hit her final three of the game to give the Cowgirls a 70-67 lead.  McNeese scored seven of their last nine points from the charity stripe with Johnson scoring the last four points on free throws.
 
After Sam Houston State scored the opening basket, McNeese answered with an Amber Donnes three-pointer.  McNeese would go on to outscore the Bearkats 8-3 in the next two minutes to take a 12-5 lead, its largest of the half.
 
With the Cowgirls holding a 20-15 lead, SHSU went on a run of their own and eventually took a 23-20 lead.  McNeese answered the run with a three by Jayln Johnson to tie the game.  SHSU came down on the next possession to go up by three on a trey by Taylor Dorsey.  SHSU would hold a five-point lead (34-29) but the Cowgirls scored the next six points on two free throws and a layup by Johnson and a Carswell layup to take a 35-34.
 
Sam Houston State held a six-point lead late in the half but the Cowgirls end the half outscoring SHSU 5-3 to go into the locker room down 48-44 at the half.  
 
McNeese will continue its road games next week with a trip to San Antonio, Texas to take on Incarnate Word next Thursday before closing the weekend with a game at Northwestern State next Saturday.