SAN ANTONIO, Texas—Dakota Howard and Tyreona Sibley combined for 38 points to lead McNeese women's basketball to a 74-53 Southland Conference road win over Incarnate Word Monday night.  McNeese improves to 8-4 overall and 2-1 in the SLC with the win.  UIW falls to 4-6 overall and 2-1 in the SLC.
 
Howard led all players with 20 points, tying her career high she set in the home win over East Texas A&M in the Cowgirls SLC opener on Dec. 12.  Sibley scored a career high 18 points with 12 coming in the first half. Howard also led all players with a game high eight rebounds, five coming on offense.
 
Mo'Nique Joseph came off the bench to give the Cowgirls quality minutes, ending the game with a career high six rebounds.  Five of her six rebounds came on the defensive end. Sibley ended the game with five boards.
 
The Cowgirls scored 38 points in the paint, caused UIW to turn the ball over 18 times and outrebounded the Cardinals 34-26.
 
McNeese began the game with a 11-2 lead in the first six minutes and never gave up the lead. The Cowgirls held a double figure lead several times in the second quarter and went into the half leading 28-19.
 
The Cowgirls held a 56-38 lead after the third quarter and held its largest lead of 26 points with just over six minutes to play.
 
McNeese produced its best shooting night of the season, ending the game shooting 50% from the field (31 for 62).
 
Londyn Oliphant was the only Cardinal to score in double figures with 10 points.  The Cowgirls held UIW's leading scorer Jorja Elliott to eight points.
 
McNeese will conclude its Texas road trip with a 2 p.m. game at Houston Christian on Wednesday, Dec. 31.
 
 
1^st QUARTER
• Cowgirls opened the game with an 11-2 lead following a jumper by Tyreona Sibley six minutes into the game
• After UIW cut the lead to six, the Cowgirls upped their lead back to nine points (14-5) on a Sibley layup with 2:39 left in the quarter
• Cowgirls were 6 of 12 from the field, 3 of 4 from the free throw line in the quarter
McNeese 16, UIW 8
 
2^nd QUARTER
• Cowgirls took their first double digit lead early in the quarter on a layup by Dakota Howard
• UIW cut the lead to six points (18-12) on back-to-back layups
• McNeese went on a 9-4 run to lead 28-17
• Cowgirls shot 39% from the field and 63% percent from FT line in the quarter
• Sibley led the Cowgirls in scoring in the first half with 12 points
HALFTIME: McNeese 28, UIW 19
 
3^rd QUARTER
• UIW went on an 8-6 run to cut the lead to single digits (38-29)
• McNeese responded with a 7-3 run to bring the lead back up to 13 points (45-32) with 4:09 left in the quarter
• McNeese outscored UIW 9-1 in the final 2:51 of the quarter to take an 18 point lead (56-38).  Six points came from Howard and a three-pointer by Allasia Washington
McNeese 56, UIW 34
 
4^th QUARTER
• McNeese held its largest lead of the game- 26 points with 6:44 left
 
 
McNEESE NOTES
• Took the lead on a Jen Pierre field goal one minute into the game and never lost the lead.
• Cowgirls produced its best shooting night of the season, shooting 50% from the field (31-62)
• McNeese outrebounded UIW 34-26
• McNeese caused UIW to turn the ball over 18 times and scored 19 points off those turnovers
• McNeese scored 38 of its 74 points in the paint
• Dakota Howard tied her career high with 20 points. It's the ninth overall game and fourth straight game Howard scores at least 10 points
• Tyreona Sibley scored a career high 18 points.  Sibley scored 12 of her 18 points in the first half
• Howard pulled down a game high eight rebounds, five on offense
• Mo'Nique Joseph came off the bench to record a career high six rebounds, five on defense
• Sibley ended the game with five rebounds
 
 
UPCOMING GAMES
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.)
Jan. 15 at Texas A&M-CC* (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 SFA* (6 p.m.)
Jan. 31 at Lamar* (3 p.m.)
 
 
SLC Game; Home game in BOLD