LAKE CHARLES—McNeese women's basketball returns home Wednesday for the first time since the early part of November to host Rice in a 12 p.m. game at H&HP Complex. Kids 12 and under will be admitted free. The athletics department will also be collecting toys for its annual Toys For Tots drive.
 
McNeese (1-4) is coming off a 97-70 road loss at UAB on Sunday while Rice (2-3) is coming off a 69-38 loss at Oklahoma State last Saturday.
 
This will be the second straight game against a CUSA opponent and the second of three CUSA opponents on the Cowgirls schedule. McNeese will also travel to La. Tech on Dec. 5.  
 
GAME INFORMATION
OPPONENT: Rice
GAME DATE/TIME: Wednesday, Nov. 27, 12 p.m.
GAME SITE: H&HP Complex
SERIES RECORD: Rice leads 7-4
LAST MEETING: Rice 93, McNeese 65 (11/25/2018 in Houston)
2019-20 RECORDS: McNeese (1-4); Rice (2-3)
RADIO: Cajun Radio (1470/1290 AM) https://cajunradio.com/listen-live/
LIVE STATS: https://mcneesesports.com/sidearmstats/wbball/summary
LIVE STREAM: https://mcneesesports.com/watch/?Live=1739&type=Live
 
QUICK HITS:
•- it's the first home game since early November and will be only the second home game of the month for the Cowgirls
•- coming off a 97-70 road loss at UAB on Sunday
•- The Cowgirls enter the game averaging 71.8 ppg. and are shooting 37.9 percent from the field and are making 5.2 three-pointers per game.
•- Senior Damilola Balogun and sophomore Callie Maddox are coming off season high's of 16 points apiece at UAB.
•- Maddox is the only Cowgirl averaging in double figures with 13.2 ppg. and has scored in double figures the last four games.
•- Sophomore Divine Tanks continues to come off the bench to lead the Cowgirls with 7.8
rpg. and Balogun is second on the team with 7.4 rpg.
•- Senior Regan Bolton has 154 career three-pointers and is two shy of moving
into fourth place in McNeese history.
 
ABOUT RICE:
•- return nine letterwinners and four starters from a team that advanced to the NCAA Tournament last year with a 28-4 overall record and a perfect 16-0 CUSA record.
•- picked to repeat as CUSA champions
•-The Owls also come into the game on a three-game losing streak and are averaging 55.8 ppg., 39.4 rpg., and 82.2 free throw shooting percent.
•- Senior Erica Ogwumike has been named to three watch lists including the Naismith Trophy Award for NCAA Player of the Year (Top 50 players in NCAA), Wooden Award (Top 30 players in NCAA), and the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award (Top 20 Shooting Guards).
•- Ogwumike is the only Owl averaging in double figures with 13.2 ppg.
•- Junior Nancy Mulkey is one of 20 candidates named to the Lisa Leslie Award which recognizes the top center in Division I college basketball. Mulkey led the nation in blocks last season (3.92 per game) and enters the game with 21 blocks this season, ranking her second in the nation.