LAKE CHARLES- The past two weeks haven't been the best for the McNeese women's basketball team who have dropped their last three games. The Cowgirls will look to turn those fortunes around Saturday when they travel to Beaumont, Texas to take on Lamar at 2 p.m. The game will be streamed live on ESPN3. It's the first of two games against Lamar this season. The Cardinals will visit Lake Charles in the regular season finale on March 4.
 
McNeese (10-11, 5-5 SLC) has lost those last three games to New Orleans, Abilene Christian and Central Arkansas, all three are currently in the upper echelon of the league standings. In the three losses, the Cowgirls have given up at least 70 points in each game.
 
It's been the Cowgirls' offense that has struggled as of late and one that scored a season low 49 points on Tuesday against UCA. In order to get out of this slump, McNeese will have to score in crucial times during the game an eliminate the opponent scoring runs.
 
Senior Victoria Rachal continues to lead McNeese in scoring with 10.3 ppg. but it's been junior Frederica Haywood who has asserted herself in the last two games on both the offensive and defensive sides. Haywood has led McNeese in rebounding all season but has been an added addition on offense. She is coming off back-to-back double doubles against Abilene Christian and most recently a 12-point, 13 rebound game against UCA.
 
Heywood and Lamar's Kiandra Bowers are two of three players that lead the league with 11.3 rebounds in conference games. Both are one and two in offensive rebounds as well with Bowers averaging a nation's best 6.0 and Heywood averaging 5.1 in SLC games. Bowers is second on the team in scoring with 13.8 ppg.
 
Lamar (15-5, 8-2 SLC) enters the game tied for third place in the standings behind Stephen F. Austin (8-1), Abilene Christian (8-1) and UCA (8-2). The Cardinals are 11-0 at home and are among the nation's leaders in several defensive categories. Lamar leads the nation in steals per game (14.2), turnovers forced (24.95) and turnover margin.
 
Chastadie Barns heads the defense for Lamar as she leads the NCAA with 4.5 steals per game.
 
Moe Kinard leads Lamar in scoring with 16.6 ppg. while Kiara Desamours is averaging 10.2 ppg.