HAMMOND—McNeese women's basketball made a late run as the Cowgirls cut a 17-point fourth quarter deficit to nine points with 1:28 to play but league leading Southeastern held on for an 80-69 Southland Conference win Saturday.
 
McNeese (4-19, 0-10 SLC) play as good as a first half as they played all year long.  The game was tied 32 all with 3:32 left in the first half before Southeastern (13-8, 9-1 SLC) ended the half on a 11-4 run to lead 43-36.
 
Julie Puente led a trio of Cowgirls who scored in double figures with her second career double double including a career high 19 points to go along with a game high 10 rebounds.
 
Mireia Yespes and Emilia Tenbrock both ended the game with 17 points apiece.
 
Taylor Bell led all players with 20 points and added eight rebounds.  Kennedy Paul (17), Hailey Giratano (12) and Mackenzie Thomas (12) also scored in double figures for the Lions.
 
McNeese held the lead for the first eight minutes of the game behind Tenbrock, who scored the Cowgirls' first six points of the game.  Tenbrock scored nine of her 17 points in the first quarter.
 
1^st Quarter
• Emilia Tenbrock scored half of the Cowgirls' first quarter points, connecting on all three 3-pointers
• McNeese led 6-3 early then again 11-8 with 4:10 left in the quarter
• Southeastern outscored McNeese 11-7 the rest of the quarter to take a 19-18 lead after the first quarter
 
2^nd Quarter
• The quarter was back and forth at the beginning
• McNeese trailed by only one point (33-32) with 3:09 left in the quarter but Southeastern ended the half on a 10-4 run to take a 43-36 halftime lead.
 
3^rd Quarter
• Southeastern opened the second half on a 5-0 run and outscored the Cowgirls 20-10 in the third quarter to lead 63-46
• McNeese shot 21.4 percent from the field (3 of 14)
• Southeastern scored 10 of their 20 third quarter points in the paint as they shot 47.1 percent from the field and held as much as a 17-point lead late in the quarter
 
4^th Quarter
• Southeastern held as much as a 17-point lead with 4:50 to play but an 8-0 run by McNeese cut the lead to nine points (76-67) with 1:28 to play.
• Southeastern outscored McNeese 4-2 in the final minute of the game to seal the win.   
  
 
NOTES
• McNeese held to lead early in the game
• With the game tied at 32 all with 3:32 left in the second quarter, Southeastern went on a 11-4 run to lead 43-36 at the half
• Southeastern outscored the Cowgirls 20-10 in the third quarter to lead 63-46
• McNeese outscored Southeastern 23-17 in the fourth quarter
• Southeastern led by 17 points with 4:50 left in the game but McNeese cut the lead to nine points with 1:28 to play behind an 8-0 run.
• Southeastern ended the game on a 4-2 run to seal the win
• A total of 66 free throws were attempted in the game.  McNeese was 25 of 30 from the free throw line while Southeastern was 23 of 36.
• The loss is the 12 straight for the Cowgirls