COMMERCE, Texas—Trailing by as many as 12 points early in the second quarter, McNeese women's basketball outscored East Texas A&M 49-28 the rest of the game on its way to its first Southland Conference win of the season by a score of 64-55.
 
McNeese (6-8, 1-2 SLC) also snapped a four-game losing skid with the win while ETAM fell to 4-9 overall and 1-3 in the SLC.  
 
The Cowgirls placed three players in double figure scoring with both Paris Guillory and Kiayra Ellis leading the way with 17 points apiece.  Ty Williams tied her career high by chipping in with 11 points and she tied her career high with six assists.  Guillory picked up her first double double of the season by pulling down 10 rebounds to go along with her 17 points.  Mireia Yespes led all players with 14 rebounds, tying her career high.
 
McNeese led for the first five minutes of the game before ETAM went on a 10-2 run to end the quarter with a 23-13 lead.
 
ETAM led by as many as 12 points early in the second quarter, but the Cowgirls cut the lead to three points twice, the last at 35-32 with 1:57 left in the half.  ETAM closed the first half on a 6-2 run to lead 41-34.
 
McNeese opened the second half by scoring the first seven points tie the game at 41 on a Mireia Yespes layup at the 5:50 mark of the quarter.
 
Ellis gave the Cowgirls its second lead of the game with a three-pointer with less than five minutes left in the third quarter.  The lead didn't last long as ETAM would score the next five points to retake the lead.
 
McNeese outscored the Lions 16-6 in the third quarter to hold a 50-47 lead heading into the final quarter.
 
The Cowgirls took its largest lead of the game (54-47) early in the fourth quarter on a Wilnie Joseph layup with 8:03 to play.
 
McNeese couldn't buy a bucket for the next three minutes as the Lions scored the next five points to pull to within two points (54-52) with 5:09 to play but the Cowgirls closed the game by outscoring ETAM 10-3.
 
McNEESE NOTES
• It's the first conference win of the season for the Cowgirls
• The six wins equals the total wins won by the Cowgirls last year
• After trailing by as many as 12 points (27-15) in the second quarter, McNeese outscored ETAM 49-28 the rest of the game
• The Cowgirls outscored ETAM 30-15 in the second half
• Three Cowgirls scored in double figures (Paris Guillory-17, Kiayra Ellis- 17, Ty Williams- 11)
• Guillory has now scored in double figures in all five games she has played
• Guillory completed her first double double of the season by grabbing 10 rebounds
• Mireia Yespes led all players with 14 rebounds including nine on defense
• Ty Williams tied her career high with six assists
• McNeese's defense held ETAM to a 15.2 field goal percent (5 of 33) in the second half
• The Cowgirls shot 37.9 percent and ETAM shot 29.0 percent from the field for the game
• McNeese shot 61.1 percent (11-18) and ETAM shot 58.8 (10-17) from the free throw line
   
 
COWGIRLS UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Thu., Jan. 9 at Houston Christian (6 p.m./ESPN+)
Sat., Jan. 11 Nicholls (1 p.m./ESPN+)
Thu., Jan. 16 Stephen F. Austin (6 p.m./ESPN+)
Sat., Jan. 18 Lamar (1 p.m./ESPN+)
Thu., Jan. 23 at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (7 p.m./ESPN+)
Sat., Jan. 25 at UTRGV (2 p.m./ESPN+)
Thu., Jan. 30 Incarnate Word (6 p.m./ESPN+)