Opponent: Nicholls (7-5, 3-2 SLC)
Date: Thursday, Jan. 8
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: Lake Charles (Townsley Law Arena)
Watch: ESPN+
Series:  McNeese leads the series 64-29, Nicholls has won the last two meetings
Promotion: We Back Pat

LAKE CHARLES—McNeese women's basketball (10-4, 4-1 SLC), one of three teams tied atop the league standings, continues its three-game home stretch against Nicholls on Thursday, Jan. 8.  Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. at the Townsley Law Arena.

McNeese has won seven of its last nine game and will look to extend its three-game winning streak against the Colonels. The Cowgirls are coming off a 65-57 win over Lamar last Saturday that snapped a 17-game losing streak against the Cardinals.

Nicholls enters the game having won three of its last four games and are coming off a 50-46 home loss against NW State last Saturday.
 

McNEESE NOTES
• It's the second of three straight home games
• It's the Cowgirls "We Back Pat" game.  The team will wear warm up shirts to show their support for legendary Tennessee Lady Vols basketball coach Pat Summit's legacy and Alzheimer awareness.
• Have won last three games and seven of last nine games
• Coming off a 65-57 win over Lamar last Saturday that snapped a 17-game losing streak against the Cardinals and was the first win over Lamar since 2016
• Enter the game with a 19-4 overall record and are one of three teams entering tonight's game atop the SLC standings with a 4-1 record.
• Freshman Dakota Howard was named this week's Southland Conference "Player of the Week".  It's the first McNeese honor since Jayln Johnson (Nicholls Assistant coach) won the honor in 2016.
• McNeese enters the game leading the SLC in eight statistical categories (Assists/Turnover Ratio, scoring defense, scoring margin, steals per game, turnover margin (ranks #2 in the nation), turnovers forced per game, turnovers per game, and winning percent.
• The Cowgirls rank in the Top 25 in five NCAA statistical categories - 2nd in turnover margin (13.43) 6th in turnovers per game (10.8), 9th in scoring defense (53.2), 10th in steals per game (14.9), (53.2), and 14th in turnovers forced per game (24.21),
• The Cowgirls' NET ranking of 78 (Dec. 14, 2025), was the highest in program history.
• Dakota Howard leads the team in scoring with 12.4 ppg., steals (37), and total rebounds (76). She is second on the team with 5.5 rpg. and has scored in double figures in 11 of 14 games this season including 10 out of last 11 games.  She is averaging 17.6 ppg. in conference games and tied her career high of 20 points against UIW (Dec. 29). 
• Lexi Alexander leads the Cowgirls in rebounds with 5.6 per game.
• Jalencia Pierre has a team high 47 assists (3.6 apg.) and is second on the team with 29 steals.  She leads the SLC and ranks 51st in the nation in assist/turnover ratio (2.2).
• The Cowgirls have received votes in the College Insider Top 25 Poll four times this season.
• The six non-conference wins are the most for a Cowgirl team since the 2015-16 season and its the most wins prior to the end of December since the 2017-18 when that team also won six games.
• All three non-conference losses came against P4 teams (2 from the Big 12 and one from the SEC).
 
NICHOLLS NOTES
• Enter the game 7-5 overall and are one of five teams with 3-2 conference records
• Are 3-3 on the road this season
• Will be the Colonels third road game in last four games
• Coming off a 50-46 home loss against NW State last Saturday
• Conference wins have come against HCU, Texas A&M-CC and UTRGV.  Their other loss (54-52) was at home against UIW
• Are second in the SLC in steals (10.17) behind league leading McNeese (14.86).
• Have two players averaging in double figures. Jasmine Matthews leads the team with 11.5 ppg. and Jesslynn Jalomo is averaging 10.9 ppg.
• Emani Burks leads the Colonels with 6.3 rpg.
• Former Cowgirl point guard, Jayln Johnson is in her first season as a Nicholls assistant coach.
 
UPCOMING GAMES
Jan. 8 Nicholls (6:30 p.m.)*
Jan. 10 Southeastern (1 p.m.)*
Jan. 15 at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (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 Stephen F. Austin (6 p.m.)*
Jan. 31 at Lamar (3 p.m.)*
 
Home Games in BOLD
*- Southland Conference Opener