HOUSTON, Texas--- McNeese women's basketball pulled off a huge win here Thursday night by overcoming an 11- point deficit to defeat Houston Christian 65-60 in a must win game for both teams.
 
"We had a tough second quarter but we stayed together," said head coach Lynn Kennedy.  "I could tell early in the third quarter we were ready for a run. We started rebounding on both ends and we did an outstanding job of finding the mismatches."
 
The win snapped a four game losing streak but more importantly, keeps the Cowgirls' Southland Conference Tournament hopes alive. With the win, McNeese improves to 10-17 overall and 7-9 in the league standings while HCU falls to 11-16 overall and 6-10 in the SLC.
 
Three Cowgirls scored in double figures with Kaili Chamberlin and Paris Mullins leading the way with 13 points apiece.  Le'Shenae Stubblefield chipped in with 10 points, eight coming from the free throw line. Desirae Hansen led McNeese with 10 rebounds and Chamberlin nearly recorded a double double by pulling down nine rebounds.
 
As a team, McNeese outrebounded the Huskies 53-31 with 38 of those coming on defense.  The Cowgirls also outshot HCU at the free throw line who entered the game leading the conference with a 73.6 free throw percent in conference games.  McNeese ended the game with a 75.9 free throw percent (22 for 29) while HCU shot 66.7 percent from the free throw line (10 for 15).
 
McNeese opened the game with a three-point play by Kaili Chamberlin that sparked a 7-0 run to start the game. Baskets by Chamberlin and Paris Mullins put McNeese up 11-5.  HCU's Enya Maguire hit back-to-back threes to tie the game at 11. The Cowgirls responded with two more buckets by Desirae Hansen and Mullins for a 15-13 lead and held a 17-15 first quarter lead.
 
HCU went on an 13-0 run that started at the end of the first quarter and scored the first 11 points of the second quarter to lead 26-17 midway through the quarter.
 
Despite the slow second quarter start, McNeese fought their way back to cut the HCU lead to eight points (36-28) at the half but outscored HCU 37-24 in the second half.
 
The Cowgirls shot 40.7 percent from the field in the first half despite 14 turnovers and outrebounded HCU 22-16.  HCU scored 17 points off the 14 Cowgirl turnovers.
 
HCU held as much as a 10-point lead in the third quarter but a jumper by Divine Tanks and a three-pointer by Mullins pulled the Cowgirls to within five points (45-40).
 
Le'Shenae Stubblefield brought McNeese to within three points 48-45 with two free throws with 34 seconds left in the third quarter.
 
Free throws by Stubblefield and Stephanie Guihon to start the final period cut the HCU to two points (48-46).
 
On the next Cowgirl possession, Mullins powered her way in for a layup to tie the game at 48 early in quarter.  HCU ended their scoring drought with a three-point play to lead 51-48.
 
Stubblefield tied the game once again at 53 with two free throws with just over four minutes to play.
 
Christina Gil's three-pointer with 3:05 to play broke a 53-53 tie for a 56-53 McNeese lead, its second of the game. 
 
McNeese sealed the game at the free throw line at the end by scoring seven of its last nine points of the game to end the game 22 of 29 from the charity stripe.
 
The Cowgirls will travel to Southeastern this Saturday for its final regular season road game. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. game.