NEW ORLENAS--  McNeese women's basketball kept its Southland Conference Tournament hopes alive with a 71-66 road win over New Orleans Saturday behind 18 points from Kiayra Ellis.  With the win, McNeese improves to 9-17 overall and 4-11 in the SLC while snapping five game losing streak.  UNO fell to 2-22 overall and 2-13 in the SLC with the loss.
 
Ellis was joined in double figures by former UNO Privateer Kyla Davis who scored 13 points and New Orleans native Ty Williams who ended the game with 10 points.
 
UNO's Nora Francois led all players with a double double (21 pts., 11 reb.)
 
McNeese took and early 5-0 lead in the game but an 8-2 run by UNO gave Privateers their first lead in the game and held a 16-13 lead after the first quarter.
 
The Cowgirls found a little rhythm in the second quarter and went on an 11-2 run to lead 29-26 then held its largest lead of the game (41-30) with 1:25 left in the half.  UNO responded with an 8-0 run to end the first half to cut the Cowgirl lead to three points (41-38).
 
Ellis scored 12 of her 18 points in the first half including 6 of 8 from the free throw line.  The Cowgirls shot 42.9 percent from the field in the half (12 of 28) and 72.2 percent from the free throw line (13 of 18).
 
UNO shot 38.7 percent from the field and 84.6 percent from the free throw line, making 11 of 13 attempts.  Nora Francois led the Privateers with 16 first half points.
 
UNO outscored McNeese 19-11 in the third quarter and took their largest lead of the game 52-44 late in the third then led by five heading into the fourth.
 
McNeese came back Joseph's rebound and first shot and bucket of the game gave the Cowgirls a 67-66 lead with 1:21 to play.
 
The fourth quarter was back and forth with each team taking turns taking the lead.
 
With 1:53 to play, UNO held a 66-65 lead before Wilnie Joseph's first basket of the game put McNeese up 67-66 and the Cowgirls went on to make four of their six free throws in the final :34 seconds including two by Azjah Reeves with :17 seconds to seal the win.
 
UNO's three-point attempt to tie the game with :04 left was an air ball and Ellis grabbed the rebound as time expired.