LAKE CHARLES—McNeese women's basketball team will travel to Natchitoches Saturday to face Northwestern State in a key Southland Conference game that will be aired on ESPN3.
McNeese (16-8, 8-4 SLC) heads into the game in third place in the conference standings and have won five of their last six games. McNeese is coming off an 83-74 road win at Southeastern La. Wednesday. The Cowgirls will be looking to sweep Northwestern State for the first time since the 2011-12 season. The last two meetings between the teams have gone into overtime including a 78-74 overtime win by McNeese in Lake Charles on Jan. 23.
The Cowgirls and other teams have had a hard time coming away with wins in Prather Coliseum where Northwestern State (13-10, 7-5 SLC) has won 10 of their last 11 games in the venue this season. The Lady Demons hold a 29-9 record against McNeese in games played in Natchitoches but the Cowgirls' road wins this season are the third most amongst Southland Conference teams. The last McNeese win in Natchitoches was a 59-57 win during the 2013-14 season.
McNeese will be led by seniors
Jayln Johnson and
Allison Baggett, both are the only Cowgirls averaging in double figures. Johnson leads the team with 15.1 ppg., a 91.5 free throw percent, 5.4 assists and 1.4 steals. She is 14 assists shy of becoming McNeese's career leader. Johnson leads the SLC in assists, ranks second in free throw percent, and is fourth in scoring in conference games only.
Baggett is averaging 14.0 ppg. and is 20 points away from moving into third in McNeese career scoring. Baggett has scored 20 or more points in four of the last eight games and is coming off an 18-point game at Southeastern La.
The Cowgirls have gotten added point production lately from Natchitoches native
Victoria Rachal and
Keara Hudnall. Rachal had the best game of her season against NW State earlier this season with 17 points including a career high four 3-pointers. Hudnall has come off the bench to score in double figures in the last two games including a career high 24 at Nicholls last Saturday. She is coming off a 16-point game at SE La. and tied her career high with eight rebounds.
The Lady Demons are coming off a 60-56 home win over second place Central Arkansas on Wednesday. Janelle Perez and Beatrice Attura lead NW State in scoring with 15.2 and 13.4 ppg., respectively. Cheyenne Brown leads the team with 5.6 rpg.
