LAKE CHARLES – Javohn Garcia's jumper with 37 seconds to play gave McNeese a 66-65 lead, then his free throw with seven ticks on the board made it a two-point game, and a UIW two-point put-back on a missed three-pointer to send the game to overtime was waved off as the Cowboys survived a scare from the Cardinals, 67-65 Southland Conference win.
 
McNeese, now 17-6 overall and 11-1 in league play, increased its lead back to three games in the conference standings with a Lamar loss at Southeastern. UIW dropped to 11-12 overall and 4-8 in the conference.
 
Garcia led the Cowboys in scoring with 13 points while Christian Shumate added 12 with a game-high nine rebounds. Joe Charles pulled in seven boards, four of those on the offensive glass with his biggest coming off a missed Garcia free throw that set up his go-ahead jumper.
 
UIW had three player score in double-figures, led by Jalin Anderson's 15 points. Davion Bailey and Jordan Pyke each scored 14 for the Cardinals.
 
McNeese struggled from three-point range for the second straight game, hitting 2 of 13, but had better looks than it did against Nicholls where it went 0 for 12. Meanwhile, UIW connected on 6 of 24 from long range but managed to make just 2 of 11 in the second half, the biggest miss coming off the hands of Pyke who fired up the game-winning attempt with two seconds on the clock.
 
Pyke followed his shot with a made tip-in as the clock expired, and after the officials initially called the shot good to tie the game at 67-67, replayed showed Pyke didn't release the ball before the clock expired and the points were waved off.
 
The Cowboys played a much more physical game than two days ago, especially in the paint where they muscled their way to a 48-28 advantage with points in the paint.
 
For the game, McNeese connected on 29 of 59 from the field for 49 percent but hit 27 of 46 from inside the three-point line. UIW, who came into the game winners of two-straight including an upset win over HCU on Saturday, sank 26 of 57 for 46 percent.
 
Neither team went to the line much, UIW 7 of 12 while McNeese made 7 of 14, including two free throws late that to finished off And-1 attempts on made layups.
 
The Cowboys took care of the ball, turning it over just six times and only twice in the second half, and dished out 13 assists.
 
The win extends the Cowboys' home winning streak against Southland Conference opponents to 18 straight.
 
McNeese will be back home on Saturday against Northwestern State for a 4 p.m. tip.