LAKE CHARLES—McNeese women's basketball made 10 three-pointers and senior Amber Donnes tied her career high with 21 points to lead the Cowgirls in a 59-52 Southland Conference win over Nicholls here Saturday.
 
Donnes and fellow senior Victoria Rachal carried the Cowgirls on offense. Donnes ended the game 8 of 13 from the field including five three-pointers. Rachal scored 19 points on 5 of 11 from the field and 4 of 6 from three-point range. Juniors Mercedes Rogers and Frederica led McNeese in rebounds with 13 and 10, respectively. The 13 boards by Rogers ties her season high and is one off tying her career best of 14. Haywood grabbed double figure rebounds for the ninth in the last 11 games despite paying only 23 minutes due to foul trouble.
 
McNeese (12-13, 7-7 SLC) opened the game by scoring the first 11 points with the first five points of the game coming from senior Rachal. Rachal hit a jumper then a three to get the Cowgirls off to the good start. A three-pointer by Donnes then a three-point play by Caitlin Davis gave the Cowgirls an 11-0 lead four minutes into the game. Nicholls (8-17, 5-9 SLC) got their first points of the game off a Cassidy Barrios layup. The Cowgirls held a 16-8 first quarter lead.
 
McNeese struggled from the field in the second quarter and turned the ball over nine times as Nicholls outscored McNeese 17-9 to even the game at 25 all at the half.
 
The Cowgirls opened the third quarter on a 8-0 run to take a 33-25 lead but Nicholls would outscore McNeese 13-5 the next four minutes to take a 38-36 lead. A jumper by Rogers tied the game at 38 all then Donnes would drain a three and scored on a fastbreak layup for a 43-40 lead after three quarters.
 
Nicholls got as close as four points twice in the fourth quarter but with 1:36 left in the game and the Cowgirls leading 51-47, Rogers went to the line for two and made the first but Haywood grabbed a huge rebound and made a layup to give McNeese some breathing room.
 
After Nicholls missed a three-pointer on their end, Donnes snuck behind the defense for an easy layup that gave the Cowgirls a nine point lead. McNeese ended the game scoring four of the last six points to pick up the victory.
 
Nicholls was led in scoring by a trio of players. Taylor Morrison led the Colonels with 17 points, Barrios ended the game with a double double (14 pts., 11 reb.) and Tykeria Williams added 10.
 
McNeese will travel to Houston Baptist this Wednesday for a 6 p.m. game.