LAKE CHARLES—McNeese women's basketball used a 16-2 run that started late in the third quarter to pick up a 68-52 Southland Conference win over Northwestern State here Saturday, its second win over NW State this season.
 
McNeese (10-8, 5-2 SLC) placed three players in double figure scoring in the win. Mercedes Rogers scored a game high 13 points. Seniors Amber Donnes and Victoria Rachal also scored in double figures with 12 and 10 points, respectively. Dede Sheppard ended the game with a career high 11 rebounds.
 
Rogers was 4 of 9 from the field and perfect from the free throw line, making all four attempts. The Cowgirls ended the game shooting 37.9 percent from the field and 84.6 from the free throw line. The Cowgirls ended the game 11 of 13 from the free throw line.
 
McNeese held Northwestern State to a 31.0 field goal percent, a team that entered the game shooting 41.0 percent. The Lady Demons struggled from behind the arc as well, connecting on 3 of 20.
 
Senior Beatrice Attura who burned the Cowgirls for a career high 34 points in the game in Natchitoches, was held to 13 points. Tia Youngblood led the Lady Demons with 11 rebounds.
 
After a close first quarter that ended with a 16-14 Northwestern State lead, McNeese picked up its defensive intensity in the second quarter and outscored NW State 23-9.
 
A jumper by Rachal and then two free throws by Sheppard gave the Cowgirls a 17-16 lead early in the second quarter.  
 
McNeese took its first double figure lead of the game following five straight points by Rachal for a 32-21 lead with 1:11 left in the quarter. McNeese got five more straight points from Donnes following a three-pointer and a layup to take its largest lead of the half 37-24.
 
McNeese held its double figure lead until an Attura layup cut it to eight points (43-35) in the third quarter until a Mady Brasseaux three-pointer brought it back to an 11-point Cowgirl lead. NW State outscored McNeese 4-2 in the last minute of the third but the Cowgirls held a 48-39 lead after the third period.
 
The Cowgirls opened the fourth quarter on an 11-0 run to take its largest lead of the game of 21 points (62-41) early in the quarter behind baskets from Hannah Cupit and Rogers and a free throw by Frederica Haywood.