LAKE CHARLES—McNeese women's basketball, winners of three of its last four games, returns to its normal Southland Conference schedule Wednesday night after playing games on Saturday the past two weeks. The Cowgirls will host Sam Houston State at 6:30 p.m. at the H&HP Complex in the only regular season game against the Bearkats this season.
 
It's Student Appreciation Night and the first 100 McNeese students to enter the game will receive a free burger and drink voucher. All students in attendance will be entered into a drawing for the shoot for cash contest.
 
McNeese (5-14, 3-5 SLC) nearly pulled off the upset in the conference last Saturday against Lamar, falling 64-62 to the league leading Cardinals.
 
The Cowgirls enter the game leading the SLC with 43.2 rebounds per game and are led by junior Damilola Balogun who is ranked fourth in the league with 7.6 rpg. Freshman Divine Tanks ranks eighth in the league with 6.7 rpg.
 
Redshirt Callie Maddox and junior Regan Bolton continue to lead the Cowgirls in scoring. Maddox is averaging 14.1 ppg. and Bolton is pitching in with 11.8 ppg. Bolton is coming off a game high 23 points against Lamar last Saturday that saw her move into 10th place in McNeese career three-pointers after canning six treys in the game. Bolton has scored in double figures in four of the last five games, having scored 20 or more points in three of those games. She is averaging 18.4 ppg. in the last five games.
 
The Cowgirls will have to quickly turn their attention to a much-improved Sam Houston State team under the direction of first year head coach Ravon Justice. The Bearkats come to Lake Charles with a 10-9 overall record and 5-4 in the SLC.   
 
SHSU ranks third in the league in scoring (73.2 ppg.0 and have three players averaging in double figures.  Jaylonn Walker leads the team in scoring with 14.8 ppg.  Amber Leggett is averaging 11.8 ppg. and Jennifer Oramas is averaging 11.1 ppg. Lydia Baxter is pulling down a team high 8.4 rpg.