LAKE CHARLES-- McNeese women's basketball suffered a 65-58 Southland Conference loss at the hands of Northwestern State here Monday in a game that consisted of 10 ties and 14 lead changes.
 
The loss drops the Cowgirls to 7-4 overall and 1-1 in the SLC while the Demons improve to 5-4 overall and 2-0 in the SLC with the win.
 
For the second game in a row, the Cowgirls struggled from behind the arc, making only three of 10 three-point attempts while NW State made nine three-pointers and none was bigger than the one made by Nya Valentine with 20 seconds left in the game that gave the Demons a 63-58 lead and sealed the victory.
 
Valentine was one of two Demons to score in double figures.  Vernell Atamah led all players with 20 points.  Atamah single handedly carried the Demons in the first half, scoring 16 of her game high 20 points in the half.
 
McNeese placed three players in double figures with Dakota Howard leading the way with 17 points.  Jalencia Pierre scored 14 points and Kaili Chamberlin came off the bench to score 10 points.
 
The Cowgirls trailed 6-2 early in the game and went cold from the outside, not making a field goal in nearly 10 minutes before Pierre's jumper early in the second quarter ended the field goal drought.
 
NW State took its largest lead of the game of eight points (26-18) with 3:42 left in the first half but a Cowgirls rallied to pull to within two points behind back-to-back three-pointers by Chamberlin.
 
The Demons went on another run to lead 32-25 with 2:01 left in the first half but once again the Cowgirls responded by ending the half on a 7-0 run to go into the half knotted at 32 all.
 
McNeese opened the second half on a 4-2 run to take its largest lead of the game (38-34) early in the third quarter.
 
NW State tied the game 39 apiece on a Valentine three and the Demons led 46-45 at the end of the third period.
 
The fourth quarter was back and forth and neither team led by more than one point for at least seven minutes in the quarter. 
 
McNeese tied the game at 58 apiece with 2:30 to play but NW State scored the final seven points of the game to seal the win.
 
The Cowgirls will break for Christmas and will return to action on Dec. 29 for a Southland Conference game at Incarnate Word.
 
McNEESE NOTES
• Three Cowgirls scored in double figure scoring (Howard, Pierre, Chamberlin)
• Dakota Howard led the Cowgirls in scoring with 17 points
• Jalencia Pierre scored 14 points and dished out seven assists and was credited with five steals
• Kaili Chamberlin came off the bench to score 10 points including six points off two three-pointers
• McNeese ended the game with a 39.7 field goal percent (23 for 58), a 56.3 free throw percent (9 of 16)
• NW State shot 41.9 percent from the field (18 of 43), made nine three-pointers and was 20 for 25 from the free throw line for 80.0 percent
• NW State outrebounded the Cowgirls 37-29 with 27 rebounds coming on the defensive end.
• McNeese scored 21 of its points off 23 NW State turnovers
 
UPCOMING GAMES
Dec. 29 at Incarnate Word* (6 p.m.)
Dec. 31 at Houston Christian* (2 p.m.)
Jan. 3 vs. Lamar* (1 p.m.)
Jan. 8 vs. Nicholls* (6:30 p.m.)
Jan. 10 vs. Southeastern* (1 p.m.)
 
SLC Game; Home game in BOLD