Opponent: Northwestern State (4-4, 1-0 SLC)
Date: Monday, Dec. 15
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: Lake Charles (Townsley Law Arena)
Watch: ESPN+
Promotion: $5 General Admission tickets with a Toys For Tots donation
 
LAKE CHARLES—McNeese women's basketball (7-3, 1-0 SLC) will host Northwestern State (4-4, 1-0 SLC) in its final home game in 2025. Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. at the Townsley Law Arena with the game being streamed on ESPN+.

The Cowgirls have won four of its last five games and are coming off its 71-45 SLC opening win over East Texas A&M last Friday.

Senior Arianna Patton continues to lead the Cowgirls in scoring with 11.8 ppg. while freshman Dakota Howard is averaging 10.6 ppg. 

Senior Lexi Alexander, who is coming off her second double double of the season against East Texas A&M, continues to lead the Cowgirls in rebounds with 6.3 per game.
 
McNEESE NOTES
• It's the final 2025 home for the Cowgirls
• The Next home game for the Cowgirls will be on Jan. 3 against Lamar  
• Enter the game with a 7-3 overall record and 1-0 SLC record following its 71-45 season opening win against East Texas A&M  
• All three Cowgirl losses came against P4 teams (2 from the Big 12 and one from the SEC).
• The six non-conference wins are the most for a Cowgirl team since the 2015-16 season and it's the most wins prior to the end of December since the 2017-18 when that team also won six games.
• McNeese has had four players score in double figures four of the last seven games.
• Arianna Patton and Dakota Howard are both averaging in double figures.  Patton leads the team with 11.8 ppg. and Howard is averaging 10.6 ppg. 
• Patton also leads the team  with 25 three-pointers made
• The Cowgirls have three players averaging at least five rebounds a game (Alexander-6.3, Howard- 5.5, Tyreona Sibley- 5.1).
• McNeese leads the SLC in seven categories (assists/turnover, scoring defense, scoring margin, steals per game, turnover margin, turnovers forced per game, and turnovers per game.
• McNeese enters the game ranked second in the nation in turnover margin (14.10) and 6th with 15.5 steals per game.  
• The Cowgirls have received votes in the College Insider Top 25 Poll four times this season.
• In 2011-12, McNeese ranked 18th in the College Insider Top 25 preseason poll, the last time McNeese made it to the NCAA Tournament. 
• McNeese ranked four other times in the College Insider Top 25 poll during the 2011-12 season, ranking as high as 11th on Dec. 13, 2011.
• The Cowgirls have a NET ranking of 79 entering Monday's game, its highest in program history.
• The Ayla Guzzardo era began with a 100-38 home win over Pensacola Christian College on Monday, Nov. 3.
• McNeese has 13 newcomers, which ranks tied for fourth most in the NCAA. Three other teams (Northern Arizona, Indiana State, UL-Monroe) all have 14 newcomers. Of the 13 newcomers, nine are D1 transfers which is tied for most in the NCAA this season.
• All 13 newcomers are Guzzardo's former Southeastern players and recruits 
• Guzzardo brought nine players from her 2024-25 Southeastern team and entire staff, including managers with her to McNeese.
• The 2025-26 roster consists of two-time Southland "Defensive Player of the Year" in Jalencia Pierre.
• Also on the team are two Southland "Freshmen of the Year- Kaili Chamberlin (2022) and Lexi Alexander (2023).
 
THE OPPONENT
• Enters the game 4-4 overall and 1-0 in the SLC
• Opened SLC action with a 69-52 road win at Southeastern on Dec. 7
• Leads the SLC in 3-pt. field goal percent (33.2) and 3-pointers made (63) averaging 7.9 per game
• Are led in scoring by Vernell Atamah's 21.3 ppg., the only Demon averaging in double figures
• Clarence Djuela leads the team with 6.9 rpg. while Carla Celaya is averaging 6.8 rpg.
 
 SAME BUILDING-NEW NAME
• McNeese renamed its former home facility (Legacy Center) to the Townsley Law Arena on Oct. 7, 2025, following a 4.5 million dollar, 15-year naming rights deal.  The deal is believed to be the largest basketball naming rights deal in the Southland Conference.  The Townsley Law Firm has been a fixture in Southwest Louisiana since 1995 and is currently the largest medical malpractice law firm in Louisiana.
 
UPCOMING GAMES
Dec. 15 Northwestern State (6:30 p.m.)*
Dec. 29 at Incarnate Word (6 p.m.)*
Dec. 31 at Houston Christian (2 p.m.)*
Jan. 3 Lamar (1 p.m.)*
Jan. 8 Nicholls (6:30 p.m.)*
Jan. 10 Southeastern (1 p.m.)*
Jan. 15 at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (7 p.m.)*
Jan. 17 at UTRGV (2 p.m.)*
Jan. 22 at Southeastern (6 p.m.)*
Jan. 24 New Orleans (1 p.m.)*
Jan. 29 at Stephen F. Austin (6 p.m.)*
Jan. 31 at Lamar (3 p.m.)*
 
Home Games in BOLD
*- Southland Conference Opener