LAKE CHARLES – Scoring droughts at the end of each half kept McNeese from rallying back against Houston Baptist on Monday night as the Huskies controlled much of the game for a 68-56 win over the Cowboys in Burton Coliseum.
 
McNeese went scoreless in the final 4:45 of the first half and trailed 28-20 at the break after being up 20-17, then when trailing 61-56 with 4:20 to play in the game, McNeese was outscored 7-0 during that span and eliminating any chance the Cowboys had for a comeback win.
 
The loss dropped the Cowboys (6-7, 0-2) below the .500 mark for the first time this season since starting the year with a loss at Baylor. HBU improved to 6-6 overall and 1-1 in league play.
 
Desharick Guidry led the Cowboys with 22 points to go along with nine rebounds while Kevin Hardy added 16 points and nine boards.
 
McNeese shot just 32.7 percent for the game (17 of 52) and hit just 6 of 23 for 26 percent from 3-point range.
 
HBU connected on 27 of 65 for the game for 41.5 percent as Colter Lasher led all scorers with 25 points. Anthony Odunsi added 12 points and Ricmonds Vilde pulled down 13 rebounds as the Huskies controlled the glass with a 43 to 36 advantage.
 
After trailing 28-20 at the half, the Cowboys came out with some fire to start the second half with a 6-0 run and cut the gap to 2 points at 28-26 after a Hardy layup with 17:47 to play. Odunsi followed with a layup and Hardy followed that with two free throws to make it 30-28 at the 17:01 mark.
 
HBU then rolled off a 16-4 run to take its largest lead at 46-32 after a Lasher layup with 12:10 to play.
 
But the Cowboys would not roll over as Shaun Johnson and Guidry knocked down consecutive 3 pointers to cut the gap to eight points, then a 3 by Lance Potier followed by a Guidry layup made it even closer at 53-49 with 7:33 to play.
 
HBU again would string together a run
 
McNeese led for much of the first half but only held a 3 point lead twice in the game, the latest at 20-17 after Hardy hit two free throws.
 
HBU ended the half on an 11-0 run in the final 4:45 to take a 28-20 lead at the break. McNeese went the final 7:14 without a field goal and a 3 for 4 showing at the free throw line. The Cowboys missed their final 10 shots during that span.
 
The Cowboys will hit the conference road for the first time this season when they visit Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Saturday night.