ARLINGTON, Texas—McNeese used good post play to come from behind in a 63-57 win over Texas-Arlington in the WNIT Consolation Bracket Saturday to improve to 2-1 on the year. The loss drops the Mavericks to 1-2 on the season.
 
"I can't say enough about our post players," said head coach Brooks Donald Williams. "Our post played phenomenal tonight on both ends."
 
For the second straight game, Jayln Johnson, Allison Baggett, and Amber Donnes led the Cowgirls in scoring. Johnson ended the game with 17 points on 5 of 13 from the field. Johnson also had nine assists along with four steals. Baggett was also 5 of 13 including 3 of 5 from behind the arc. Donnes chipped in 10 on 4 of 5 from the field and was perfect from three-point land in two attempts. For the second straight game, Frederica picked up double figure rebounds with 10 including seven on defense. 
 
"I though Jayln did a great job of getting us started on the defensive end and turned it into scoring," said Williams. " I thought Amber Donnes was big for us today as she gives with her energy but she was hot today, she did a great job defensively.
 
Trailing 21-8 in the first quarter, McNeese outscored UTA in the next three quarters to pull out the victory. The Cowgirls went into the half trailing by 10 (37-27) but came out in the second half a different team.
 
The Cowgirls' comeback began in the third quarter when the Cowgirls went on a scoring run and tied the game for the first time on a Mercedes Rogers layup with: 53 on the clock. UTA scored on its next possession lead 46-44 after three quarters.
 
Rogers opened the final quarter with a layup to knot the game at 46 and Johnson's layup with 8:59 left to play gave McNeese its first lead of the game.
 
With the Cowgirls trailing 55-52, Johnson picks up her fourth steal of the game and gets fouled. Johnson made both free throws to cut the UTA lead. Rogers' layup with 1:36 gave McNeese the lead for good at 56-55. A Baggett 3-pointer extended the lead to 59-57. Haywood came down with a huge rebound on UTA's next possession and UTA fouled Baggett with four seconds and Johnson with 2.8 seconds. Both players made their free throws to seal the victory.
 
The Cowgirls got off to a quick start on offense after Johnson took the opening tip and scored on a layup. UTA answered with a 10-0 run to take a 10-2 lead. A free throw by Haily Jenkins ended the UTA run. The Cowgirls' offense went on another drought, this time for eight minutes before Amber Donnes drained a 3-pointer.
 
Like the beginning of the game, McNeese got off to a quick start to begin the second quarter with a 6-0 run off 3-pointers by Baggett and Johnson to cut the UTA lead to 21-14. McNeese picked up its defensive intensity which turned into offensive production. Two more three-pointers by Baggett and Amber Donnes and layups by Victoria Rachal and Johnson cut the UTA lead to five points (30-25) with 3:04 left in the quarter. UTA would go on to outscore McNeese 7-2 to lead 37-27 at the half.
McNeese will host Rice at 12 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 25 in the first game of a doubleheader with the Cowboys.