LAKE CHARLES—Senior Damilola Balogun recorded her seventh career double double (14 pts., 10 reb.) here Saturday but it wasn't enough as the Cowgirls dropped its home opening Southland Conference game, 70-57 to Central Arkansas.
 
"I thought our kids came out with a lot of effort and intensity," said head coach Kacie Cryer. "The way UCA plays defense, they really make it hard for you to score but I thought we did a great job of scoring early on in the game."
 
McNeese (3-9, 0-3 SLC) trailed by five points (19-14) at the end of the first quarter. The Cowgirls cut the lead to three points twice in the second quarter but trailed 28-21 at the half.
 
The Cowgirls hit a seven-minute scoring lull from 4:44 mark in the second quarter and trailing 24-21 until Balogun's layup with nearly eight minutes left in the third quarter ended the scoring drought to cut the UCA (7-6, 3-1 SLC) lead back into single digits (32-23).
 
"We had some big shot opportunities where we could have broken it open, but we couldn't hit them."
 
McNeese stayed within reach despite UCA leading by double digits three times with five minutes left in the third quarter, but the Sugar Bears held a 43-34 third quarter lead.
 
UCA opened the fourth quarter with a jumper inside the lane before the Cowgirls went on an 8-4 run to get to within five points (47-42) three minutes into the period but UCA would score 13 points from the free throw line the rest of the way to seal the win.
 
The Sugar Bears ended the game making 24 of 28 free throws while the Cowgirls were 10 of 12. UCA also scored 34 points in the paint while the Cowgirls scored 24.
 
Regan Bolton was the only other Cowgirl to score in double figures, ending the game with 12 points.
 
UCA placed three players in double figures with Taylor Sells leading all scorers with a career high 22 points. Sells was 6 of 12 from the floor and a perfect 10 for 10 from the charity stripe. Briana Trigg and Alana Canady pitched in with 12 apiece.
 
McNeese will continue its three-game home stand by hosting preseason favorite Abilene Christian at 6:30 p.m. next Wednesday.