NATCHITOCHES – Stephen Ugochukwu tied a career-high with 19 points and Lance Potier scored seven of his nine points in the overtime period to help lead McNeese to a 79-72 win over Northwestern State here Saturday afternoon in the Southland Conference opener.

The win was the first for the Cowboys in the league opener since the 2013-14 season and first road win to open the season since 2012.

"It's always tough to come in here and beat them," said McNeese coach Dave Simmons who hasn't won at NSU since the 2011-12 season. "They're missing a couple of good players but I thought we had some good performances. We started out good but then hit a lull."

Ugochukwu scored the Cowboys' first eight points and had 13 points in the first 12 minutes of the game as McNeese was able to build a double-digit lead midway through the frame.

"He carried us the first half," said Simmons of Ugochukwu. "It was hard to get him the ball in the second half but he was able to break free a couple of times."

Three other McNeese players joined Ugochukwu in double-digit scoring – Jarren Greenwood with 13 and Jamaya Burr and James Harvey with 10 each.

NSU (6-6, 0-1) was led in scoring by Josh Boyd's 26 points. The true freshman, who hit 14 of 18 at the free throw line for the game, missed a crucial freebie with 21 seconds left and with the game tied at 66-66. That allowed McNeese to get off a possible game-winner by Kalob Ledoux who's 3-point attempt fell off the mark and the game was sent into overtime.

McNeese (4-8, 1-0) built a 14-point lead following a Harvey 3 with 17:46 to play in the game to make it 41-27 but the Demons' guards, led by Boyd, stepped up the intensity and helped NSU post a 22-6 run over the next six minutes to go up 49-47 after an Ishmael Lane layup with 10:10 to play.

The Cowboys came back with five straight points behind a Burr 3 and Ugochukwu layup to retake a 3-point lead at 52-49.

NSU took its last lead of the game two possessions later following an Iziahiah Sweeney jumper to make it 54-52 with 8:04 left. But the lead was short-lived as Burr sank his second straight 3-pointer to put McNeese up 55-54 with 7:31 to play.

The Demons scored the first two points in overtime behind two Sweeney free throws before McNeese scored five straight and a 9-2 run to go up by five at 75-70 after a Potier jumper with 59 seconds to play.

Howard Thomas hit two critical free throws with 43 seconds left to give McNeese a 7-point lead and essentially seal the win for the Cowboys.

McNeese connected on 25 of 57 from the field for 43.9 percent and was 5 of 14 from 3-point range. The Cowboys hit 24 of 32 free throws for 75 percent. 

NSU shot 30.3 percent (20 of 66) and was just 2 of 17 from long range. The Demons knocked down 30 of 44 from the free throw line. 

McNeese will return home on Monday night when it hosts Stephen F. Austin at Burton Coliseum.