FORT WORTH, Texas—McNeese women's basketball let a 12-point second quarter lead slip away and got into early foul trouble here Sunday in a 74-70 loss to Texas Christian.
 
McNeese (4-4) held to a 57-52 lead with 8:26 left to play but a 5-0 run by TCU tied the game at 57 all. Both teams traded baskets and the game would tie three more times. With the game tied at 70 with 1:45 to play, TCU took the 72-70 lead on a Kianna Ray layup with :37 left. McNeese had an opportunity to either tie the game or take the lead with time winding down.
 
Head coach Kacie Cryer called her final timeout with 30 second left to set up a play. Following the timeout, Caitlin Davis' three-pointer was blocked but Davis got her own rebound with 6 seconds left on the shot clock.  The Cowgirls failed to get a shot off as the shot clock expired then attempted to foul TCU on the other end, hoping for misses but the Horned Frogs made two more free throws to take a 74-70 lead and an Amber Donnes three-pointer as time expired was off the mark.
 
Despite the loss, McNeese placed five players in double figures with a season high 14 points coming from freshman Caitlin Davis. Amber Donnes chipped in with 13. Mady Brasseaux added 12 including 4 0f 8 from three-point range. Dede Sheppard and Mercedes Rogers both added 10. Rogers completed her double double by grabbing 10 rebounds.
 
After missing its first three shots of the game, the Cowgirls' offense heated up from behind the arc to connect on 5 of 8 three's in the first quarter behind the hot hands of Mady Brasseaux and Amber Donnes who accounted for two each in the quarter.
 
The Cowgirls continued their hot shooting from behind the arc in the second quarter and picked up their defensive intensity as well, causing TCU to   
 
McNeese shot 44.8 percent from the field and 50.0 from three-point range. The second half shooting from the outside wasn't as good as the first. McNeese shot 37.5 from the field and 30.0 from behind the arc. The Cowgirls ended the game shooting 41.0 percent from the field and 42.3 from 3-point range.
 
TCU (6-3) had four players score in double figures and was led by Amy Okonkwo's 17. Okonkwo was held to two first half points before scoring 15 in the second half.
 
McNeese will continue its road trip and will make its next stop in Monroe for a 6 p.m. game at UL-Monroe Tuesday night.