HUNTSVILLE, Texas—Seniors Amber Donnes and Victoria Rachal combined to score 37 points here Thursday in a 61-58 McNeese women's basketball Southland Conference victory over Sam Houston State.
 
Donnes scored a game high and tied her career high with 21 points. The Hammond native scored 11 first half points, ending the game 8 of 15 from the field including three 3-pointers.
 
Rachal chipped in with 16 points on 6 of 12 from the field along with two three-pointers.
 
Frederica Haywood continued her consistent rebounding, ending with a game high 13 rebounds.
 
McNeese (13-15, 8-9 SLC) trail Sam Houston State (3-24, 3-14 SLC) 16-15 after the first period but outscored the LadyKats 15-7 in the second quarter to take a 30-24 halftime lead into the locker room. The seven points scored by SHSU ties the lowest points McNeese has held an opponent in the second quarter this season.
 
The Cowgirls began a scoring run that started late in the second quarter and ended with an 11-point Cowgirl lead, it's largest of the game midway through the third quarter.  Both teams traded baskets until McNeese went up by 11 points again on a Haywood layup early in the fourth quarter.
 
Sam Houston State never let up and went on an 8-0 run to cut the McNeese lead to 53-50 with five minutes to play.
 
McNeese responded by scoring four straight points to bring its lead back up to seven (57-50) with 3:21 left. With the game winding down, McNeese used the free throw line to its advantage by scoring its final four pints of the game from the charity stripe.
 
The Cowgirls will host Lamar at 1 p.m. Saturday in its regular season finale. Seniors Hannah Cupit, Amber Donnes and Victoria Rachal will be honored 10 minutes prior to game time.