LAFAYETTE – McNeese dug itself an early hole against Louisiana-Lafayette here Saturday night, trailing by as many as 20 points, but the Cowboys battled back and cut the deficit to 2 with under 10 minutes to play in the game, but ULL knocked down crucial 3s and hit free throws when needed to post a 75-65 win over the Cowboys.
 
The loss snapped McNeese's three-game winning streak and dropping its record to 4-3 on the season. ULL won for the sixth straight time and improved to 6-1.
 
KeyShawn Feazell scored 17 points with 12 rebounds to lead the Cowboys, notching his fifth double-double on the year and four consecutive. Collin Warren added 14 points as McNeese was held 33 points below its season average.
 
The Cowboys, who entered the game as one of the nation's leaders in three-point shooting, made just 2 of 15 from behind the arc on the night and were 0 for 8 in the first half. A move to get the ball down low to Feazell in the second half was key to the Cowboys getting back into the game as Feazell scored 15 of his points in the second half.
 
McNeese trailed 36-18 at the break and was down 36-16 before Dru Kuxhausen hit a jumper with eight seconds to play. McNeese's leading scorer, Kuxhausen was held to three points on 1 of 5 shooting in 21 minutes of play.
 
ULL's Cedric Russell gave his team a 44-24 lead with 16:33 to play but the Cowboys began to chip away with an 11-0 run that was started by a Feazell free throw and included one of Zach Scott's two three-pointers on the night. A hookshot by Carlos Rosario cut the deficit to 44-35 with 13:41 to play and after ULL snapped the skid, Warren posted an And-1 score to cut the gap to 46-38 at the 12:54 mark.
 
Russell, ULL's leading scorer with 23 points, gave the Cajuns a double-digit lead at 48-38 with 12:39 remaining but McNeese answered with a couple of Rosario freebies, a Feazell hookshot then a Warren layup on a fast break to pull McNeese to within 48-44 with 9:55 to play.
 
Both teams traded buckets before Feazell knocked down two free throws to make it a 50-48 game with 8:01 to play.
 
Devin Butts followed with a three-pointer for the Cajuns to spark an 8-0 run as ULL built a 58-48 lead with 5:42 to play. McNeese got as close as seven points after a couple of Feazell free throws to make it 65-58 with 1:18 to play but the Cajuns made their final eight free throws to close out the game.
 
McNeese shot just 37 percent from the field (23-63) and 13 percent from behind the arc (2-15). ULL hit 50 percent overall (28-56) and was 7 of 18 for 39 percent from long range.
 
The Cowboys will take a break from action for the Christmas holiday and will return on December 29 when they host Champion Christian.