NICEVILLE, Fla.—McNeese women's basketball couldn't match the height of Alabama here Monday night in an 84-63 loss on the opening day of the Inaugural Patrick Harrington Classic.
 
Alabama (10-1) ourtrebounded the Cowgirls 48-32 and scored 48 of their 84 points in the paint. The Crimson Tide had five players score in double figures and was led by 20 points from Meoshonti Knight. Ashley Knight recorded a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds.
 
Mercedes Rogers led the Cowgirls (5-5) with 12 points and was the only Cowgirls to score in double figures. Rogers was 5 of 11 from the field with one three-pointer. Rogers also led the Cowgirls with seven rebounds.
 
The Cowgirls didn't have the shooting night it had in the previous two games, shooting 36.5 percent from the field, 26.1 from three-point range, connecting on 6 of 23 from behind the arc. The Cowgirls did make 11 of 15 free throws.
 
Alabama opened the game by scoring the first nine points of the game to take the early lead. McNeese had scoring opportunities but missed a few layups early before settling down.
 
McNeese got as close as four points with two minutes left in the first quarter on the only three-pointer of the half for the Cowgirls coming from Victoria Rachal to cut the Alabama lead to 11-6. Alabama continued to take advantage of its height and the outside shooting of Hannah Cook and Jordan Lewis. Cook hit a three-pointer as the buzzer sounded in the first quarter to give the Tide a 20-12 lead.
 
The second quarter saw both teams trade baskets but the Cowgirls could only get as close as six points several times during the quarter.
 
Trailing 31-22 midway through the quarter, Rogers brought McNeese to within six after making one of two free throws then hit a jumper. Alabama would outscore the Cowgirls 6-2 in the last two minutes of the second quarter to lead 39-29 at the half.
 
Alabama continued to build on its lead in the third and fourth quarters and held its largest lead of the game (22 points) with 6:35 left in the game.
 
The Tide outscored the Cowgirls 8-2 in the final two minutes of the third period to lead 58-46 then outscored McNeese 26-17 in the fourth quarter.
 
McNeese will conclude tournament play with a 5 p.m. game against Pittsburgh Tuesday.