THIBODAUX— It took a total team effort by McNeese women's basketball here Thursday night in its 63-53 Southland Conference win over Nicholls. The win lifts the Cowgirls' record to 10-13 overall and 5-5 in the SLC.
 
The win also marks the first time since the 2017-18 season that McNeese has won 10 or more games when that team posted a 12-18 overall record.
 
"Team, team, team win" said head coach Lynn Kennedy. "It wasn't the prettiest of games but everyone contributed. I loved our start. It would have been nice if we could have gotten this kind of start for the other 30 minutes. We got a little more aggressive in the fourth quarter and we weren't giving them second chance point. We grinded it out for this win."
 
Divine Tanks and Zuzanna Kulinska both ended the game with double doubles. Tanks led the Cowgirls with 11 points and 11 rebounds while Kulinska scored 10 points and pulled down 10 rebounds. Desirae Hansen chipped in with 10 points.
 
Nicholls' Chelsea Cain led all players with 13 points. Bryanna Washington and Kyrstin Green both ended the game with 10 points apiece.
 
McNeese outscored Nicholls (4-16, 2-7 SLC) 14-9 in the final stanza with all nine Colonel points coming from the free throw line and they were 0-15 from the field in the quarter.
 
The Cowgirls on the other hand shot 50 percent from the field (5 for 10) in the last quarter and made good on all four free throw attempts.
 
McNeese's offense came out sizzling and scored the games' first 11 points in the first four minutes of the game but cooled off a bit and Nicholls took advantage of it.
 
The Cowgirls made five of their first eight shots from the field including one three-pointer to take the early lead.
 
McNeese held a two point lead after the first quarter before Nicholls took its first lead of the game, 28-27 with 3:49 left in the second quarter.
 
The Cowgirls fought their way back to tie the game at 32 apiece following two free throws by Kulinska. Two more free throws by Taylor Wilkins then a steal and layup by Kyla Hamilton extended the lead to 36-32 with 19 seconds left in the half. Nicholls' Lauryn Bowie sank two free throws with three seconds left and the Cowgirls carried a 36-34 lead at the half.
 
Neither team shot the ball well in the first half with McNeese shooting 34.2 percent from the field and the Nicholls shooting 35.1 percent.
 
McNeese opened the second half like it started the game, on a scoring run. The Cowgirls scored the first six points in the first four minutes of the half to extend its lead to 42-34.
 
A put back by Kulinska off a miss by Tanks gave McNeese another double digit lead (46-36) and its second largest lead of the game midway through the third quarter.
 
Nicholls put together a scoring run of its own, a 6-0 run to cut the lead 46-42 with 1:26 left in the third quarter.
 
Emerson Taylor's jumper at the buzzer to end the quarter put McNeese up 49-44.
 
McNeese opened the fourth quarter on an 8-0 scoring run and took its largest lead of the game of 13 points (57-44) with 6:02 to play following a Tanks layup.
 
Nicholls would get a close as six points (59-53) with 1:02 to play but free throws by Tanks and Kyla Hamilton sealed the Cowgirl win. McNeese ended the game making 19 of 23 free throws and outrebounded the Colonels 51-47 with 34 of those rebounds coming on defense.
 
McNeese will conclude its four game road swing at New Orleans on Saturday. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. at the Lakefront Arena.