NACOGDOCHES, Texas— McNeese women's basketball weathered through a tough shooting nigh here Thursday and came away with a 70-64 overtime win over Stephen F. Austin to improve to 17-4 overall and 11-1 in the Southland.  The win which extended the Cowgirls winning streak to 10 games, is the first win in Nacogdoches since 2013.
 
McNeese outscored SFA 10-4 in the overtime period with Jalencia Pierre scoring five of the Cowgirls 10 points.  Pierre was one of four Cowgirls to score in double figures, ended the game with 13 points.
 
Dakota Howard amd Lexi Alexander ended the game with double doubles.  Howard led all players with 20 points and pulled down 19 rebounds. Alexander scored 13 points along with 10 rebounds.  Jalencia Pierre scored 13 points and dished out five assists.  Allasia Washington ended the game with 10 points and  Tyreona Sibley also pulled down 10 rebounds.
 
SFA falls to 14-7 overall and 8-4 in the SLC.  Harmanie Dominguez led the Ladyjacks with 19 points with 12 coming from three-point range.  Kaylinn Kemp was the only other Ladyjack to score in double figures with 10 points.
 
McNeese led 28-26 at the half with the second half consisting of four ties. McNeese led 60-57 with :34 second left in regulation but SFA's Ashlyn Traylor-Walker hit a three-pointer to tie the game with :21 seconds.
 
Howard's jumper was off the mark in McNeese's next possession and SFA gained possession on a jump ball following Howard's miss.  Myka Perry's three-pointer was off the mark as time expired to send the game into overtime.   
 
McNeese will travel to Beaumont, Texas this Saturday to face Lamar at 3 p.m.
 
 
^1st QUARTER
• McNeese jumped out to a 4-0 lead behind two buckets from Dakota Howard
• The Cowgirls went cold from the field for the next 5:31 and SFA scored 10 points to lead 9-4.
• Allasia Washington ended the scoring drought with two free throws and Lexi Alexander ended the field goal drought with a layup to cut the lead to four (12-8)
• Patton's two free throws following a SFA technical foul brought the Cowgirls to within 2 pts.
• SFA scored on a last second shot to end the quarter
• McNeese shot 16% (3-19) from the field in the quarter
• SFA shot 40% from the field (4-10) and 60% from three-point (3-5)
• Harmanie Dominquez had 10 of SFA first quarter points, she was 3 for 3 from three-point range
McNeese 10, SFA 14
 
2^nd QUARTER
• SFA scored the first eight points of the quarter to take a 10-point lead (22-12)
• McNeese scored the next 10 points to tie the game at 22 all with 3:39 left in the half
• The Cowgirls took their first lead of the game since it first lead early in the game with 2:22 left in the half following a 14-2 run to lead 26-24 on an Alexander putback.
• SFA tied the game at 26 on two free throws but a Howard putback gave McNeese a 28-26 halftime lead
• McNeese outscored SFA 18-12 in the quarter
• McNeese shot 25.0% in the quarter (7-28) and 21.3% the first half (10-47) including 1 for 13 from 3-point range
• SFA shot 36.4% in the quarter and 38.1% in the half   
HALFTIME: McNeese 28, SFA 26
 
3^rd QUARTER
• The teams traded baskets and the lead three times
• McNeese lead by as many as four points twice in the quarter
• SFA held its largest lead of six points with 1:50 left in the quarter
• McNeese shot 31.6 percent from the field (6-19)
• SFA shot 50% in the quarter (8-16)
• SFA outscored McNeese 22-16 in the quarter
McNeese 37, SFA 38
 
4^th QUARTER
• McNeese opened the quarter on a 10-2 run to lead by four (54-50) with 5:57 left in the game
• With the game tied at 50 apiece, Jalencia Pierre scored the next four McNeese points on a jumper and a steal and layup
• McNeese led 60-57 after a Pierre layup
•SFA tied the game 60-60 on a three-pointer with 21 seconds
•Howard attempted a turnaround jumper with 2 second left but was off the mark, SFA tied the ball up and possession went to the Ladyjacks
• SFA's #1 missed a desperation shot as time expired, sending the game into overtime   
4^Th Quarter: McNeese 60, SFA 60
 
OVERTIME
•McNeese scored the first six points in overtime and outscored the Ladyjacks 10-4 to pick up the win
• Pierre scored five of the Cowgirls 10 points in overtime
McNeese 70, SFA 64
 
McNEESE NOTES
• Improves to 17-4 overall and 11-1 in the SLC
• It's the first overtime game for the Cowgirls this season
• It's the first win in Nacogdoches since its 74-57 win on Jan. 5, 2013
• The overtime win is the first OT win since McNeese defeated Southeastern 77-63 on Jan. 13, 2024
• McNeese held SFA, the league's top scoring team, who came into the game averaging 76.3 ppg.to 64 points
• McNeese caused SFA to turn the ball over 23 times
• Four Cowgirls scored in double figures 
• Dakota Howard and Lexi Alexander hed double doubles.  Howard led all players with 20 points tp gp along with 19 rebounds.  Alexander scored 13 points and had 10 rebounds.
• Jalencia Pierre scored 13 points and was credited with five assists
• Allasia Washington scored 10 points
• Tyreona Sibley ended the game with 10 rebounds. 
• Extend its winning streak to 10 games
• Have won 14 of last 16 games
• The 10 conference wis are the most won since 2016
 
 
UPCOMING GAMES
Jan. 31 at Lamar* (3 p.m.)
Feb. 5 Houston Christian (6:30 p.m.)*
Feb. 7 Incarnate Word (1 p.m.)*
Feb. 12 at Northwestern State (6:30 p.m.)*
Feb. 14 at East Texas A&M (2:30 p.m.)
Feb. 19 UTRGV (6:30 p.m.)*
Feb. 21 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (1 p.m.)*
Feb. 26 at Nicholls (6:30 p.m.)*
Feb. 28 at UNO (2 p.m.)*
Mar. 2 Stephen F. Austin (6:30 p.m.)*
 
SLC Game; Home game in BOLD