LAKE CHARLES—McNeese women's basketball ended its 2024-25 season with a 73-71 home loss against New Orleans Tuesday.  The Cowgirls end the season with a 10-21 overall record and 5-15 SLC record.

In a game that consisted of 16 lead changes and 10 ties including tied 35-35 at the half.  The Cowgirls outscored the Privateers 19-17 in the third quarter to hold a slim 54-52 lead heading to the fourth quarter.

McNeese began the fourth quarter on an 11-5 run to take its largest lead (65-57) of the game with seven minutes to play.
New Orleans outscored McNeese 16-5 in the final seven minutes of the game to pick up the win.  The Cowgirls had a chance to tie the game twice in the final 17 seconds of the game. 

Trailing 72-70, McNeese's Avery Young was fouled but Young missed the first of two free throws with 17 seconds.  McNeese then fouled Alexis Calderon, who also made one of two free throws for a 73-71 UNO lead with seven seconds left in the game.

The Cowgirls called a timeout to advance the ball to their half of the court and to set up a play to either tie the game or win it with a three-pointer.  Young missed a layup with 1.8 second left and a team offensive rebound gave the Cowgirls another chance, but the Cowgirls turned the ball over as time expired to end the game.

Four Cowgirls scored in double figures with Kiayra Ellis leading the way with 16 points.  Ty Williams scored 12 points, Kyla Davis added 11, and Paris Guillory ended the game with 10 points.

UNO had two players score in double figures with Nora Francois leading all players with 24 points.

McNeese shot 36.2 percent from the field on 25 of 69 attempts and UNO shot 39.3 percent from the field (24 of 61).  The Privateers outrebounded the Cowgirls 45-38.