LAKE CHARLES—McNeese women's basketball got off to a slow start but used its defense to pick up a 65-57 Southland Conference win over Lamar Saturday in its "Battle of the Border" game, snapping a 17-game losing streak against Lamar dating back to 2016.
 
McNeese improves to 10-4 overall and 4-1 in the SLC while Lamar falls to 6-6 overall and 3-2 in the SLC.
 
For the second straight game, the Cowgirls placed three players in double figures led by 15 points from graduate guard Arianna Patton.  Patton scored 13 of her 15 points in the second half,  11 coming in the fourth quarter alone. 
 
Senior Jalencia Pierre scored 14 points, 10 in the second half and freshman Dakota Howard continued her streak of double figure scoring with 13 points. 
 
Howard has now scored in double figures in 11 of 14 games this season including 10 of the last 11 games.  It's the also the sixth straight game scoring in double figures for Howard.
 
Lamar also had three players score in double figures.  Kamryn Wilson led all players with 18 points while KJ Walker (12) and T'Aaliyah Miner (11) also scored in double figures.
 
Lamar took an early 8-2 lead then the Cowgirls went on a 9-0 run to take an 11-8 lead seven minutes into the game and never trailed again.
 
Howard picked up back-to-back steals and layups, Avery Berry made a layup, and Carley Hamilton drained a three-pointer for the lead.
 
McNeese ended the first quarter on a 5-0 run to lead 13-8 and 27-21 at the half.
 
In the second half, the Cowgirls held an eight point lead several times throughout the quarter, but Lamar fought its way back by going on an 8-3 run to end the quarter to trail 44-41.
 
McNeese scored the first four points of the fourth quarter to extend its lead to 48-41 but the Cardinals wouldn't go away as Walker hit a trey to cut the lead back to four points (48-44) early in the quarter.
 
Pierre and Patton combined to score the Cowgirls' next nine points- six from Pierre and three from Patton to put the Cowgirls up by 12 with 3:09 to play.
 
Three free throws by Lamar cut the lead to nine but Patton drained another three to up the lead back to 12 points with 1:31 left.  A layup and a free throw by Lamar would cut the lead to single digits again but Patton responded with her third three-pointer of the game with 42 seconds left and a 63-51 lead.  Lamar would hit two more three-pointers, and the Cowgirls would score on two more free throws by Tyreona Sibley and Pierre.
 
McNeese will remain home to host Nicholls next Thursday, Jan. 8 at 6:30 p.m. before ending its three game homestand with a 1 p.m. game against Southeastern on Jan. 10.  
 
 
^1st QUARTER
• McNeese scored the first two points of the game then Lamar scored the next eight point to take an early 8-2 lead
• McNeese scored the next nine points on back-to-back steals and layups by Dakota Howard a layup by Avery Berry and a three-pointer by Carly Hamilton to lead 11-8.
• Carly Hamilton's three-pointer gave McNeese the lead for good at 11-8
• McNeese ended the quarter on a 5-0 run to lead 13-8
• McNeese shot 40% (6 of 15) from the field
• Eight of McNeese 13 points came off eight LU turnovers
McNeese 13, Lamar 8
 
2^nd QUARTER
• McNeese led by as many as eight points 19-11 at the 5:44 mark of the quarter
• Lamar went on a 4-0 run to pull to within four points (19-15) with just over five minutes left in the half
• The Cowgirls went on an 8-0 run to lead 27-18 with 1:38 left in the half
• Lamar scored the final three points of the half from the free throw line
• Cowgirls shot 31.3 percent from the field (5 of 16) in the quarter and made all four free throws
• 20 of the Cowgirls 27 first half points were scored in the pain
• McNeese scored 14 of their first half points off 17 Lamar turnovers
HALFTIME: McNeese 27, Lamar 21
 
 3^rd QUARTER
• McNeese held as much as an eight-point lead three times in the quarter, the last being 36-28 with 4:41 left in the quarter
• Lamar ended the third quarter on an 8-3 run to pull to withing three points (44-41)
McNeese 44, Lamar 41
 
4^th QUARTER
• Lamar cut the Cowgirl lead to four points (48-44) early in the quarter
• McNeese took its first largest lead of the game- 12 pts. (57-45) on the first of three Patton three-pointers in the quarter.
• Patton scored 11 of her 15 points in the fourth quarter, nine coming off 3-pointers
• Pierre scored seven points in the quarte6
FINAL: McNeese 65, Lamar 57  
 
McNEESE NOTES
• The win snapped a 17-game losing streak against Lamar.
• It's the first win over Lamar since an 88-78 win over the Cardinals on March 11, 2016, at the SLC Tournament in Katy, Texas
• It's also the first home win over Lamar since a 92-84 win on Feb. 20, 2016
• For the second straight game, McNeese had at least two players score in double figures
• Arianna Patton led McNeese with 15 points, 11 coming in the fourth quarter that included three 3-pointers.
• Jalencia Pierre scored 14 points with seven coming in the fourth quarter
• Dakota Howard ended the game with 13 points making that six straight games scoring in double figures.  She has now scored in double figures in 11 of 14 games this season and 10 out of the last 11 games.
• Allasia Washington led McNeese with six rebounds, tying her season high
• McNeese caused 26 turnovers and scored 26 points off those turnovers
• McNeese was credited with 16 steals
• McNeese scored 32 of its points in the paint
• Ended the game shooting 44.6 percent from the field (25-56)  
 
UPCOMING GAMES
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