LAKE CHARLES—McNeese women's basketball team outscored Northwestern State 16-5 in overtime to pick up a 68-57 Southland Conference victory Saturday.
 
"What a game," said head coach Brooks Donald Williams. "First of all, hats off to Northwestern State. They are extremely well coached and their offense action is difficult to defend."
 
The Cowgirls placed three players in double figure scoring with Allison Baggett leading the Cowgirls with 18. Amber Donnes chipped in 14 and Jayln Johnson ended the game with a double double (13 pts., 11 reb.).
 
"I thought our kids played with incredible effort. When shots didn't fall and things didn't go our way, we continued to battle. That was the difference. I'm very proud of our girls and their tremendous effort today," said Williams.
 
Janelle Perez was the only Lady Demon in double figures, scoring a game high 26. Perez was 9 of 25 from the field, including six three-pointers.
 
McNeese took its first lead of the game (54-52) with 4:15 left in overtime on a layup by Frederica Haywood.
 
After a layup by Northwestern State's Arianne Ausmer tied the game again at 54 all. The Cowgirls came back with three straight three-pointers.  Hannah Cupit began the streak with her only trey of the game for a 57-54 Cowgirl lead. Another three by Johnson extended the lead to 60-54. Northwestern State responded with a three by Perez cut the lead to three (60-57) in what would be Northwestern State's last points of the game.
 
Baggett hit the Cowgirls third straight three to up the lead to 63-57. Donnes and Johnson scored the Cowgirls' final four points of the game at the free throw line to seal the win.
 
Northwestern State opened the game by scoring the first seven points before a baseline jumper by Cupit put the Cowgirls on the board. Northwestern State went on a run to take its first double-digit lead of the game on a Keisha Lee three-pointer.  McNeese went scoreless for the final 5:51 of the first half to go into the break traiing31-22.
 
McNeese opened the second half on by outscoring NW State 12-3 in the first eight minutes to tie the game at 34. Northwestern St. responded with a 6-0 run to take a 40-34 lead.
 
The Cowgirls continued to cut away at the lead and went on an 8-5 run to end the second half.  Two free throws by Baggett cut the lead to one with 3:21 left in regulation. Lee hit two free throws to give NW State a 49-46 lead with 2:48.  With 59 seconds left, both teams traded three's. Donnes took matters into her own hands for the Cowgirls and drilled back-to-back three's, the first tied the game at 49. Perez then hit one for NW State for a three-point lead before Donnes tied the game at 52 with 26 seconds left. 
 
NW State played for the last shot but Perez's jumper was short as time expired, sending the game into overtime.