LAKE CHARLES—  McNeese women's basketball clinched no less than a share of the Southland Conference regular season title Thursday night behind Tyreona Sibley's career high 26 points in a 60-53 win over UTRVG.  The SLC regular season title is the third in program history and the first since 2011.
 
Sibley, who entered the game having made only three 3-pointers all season, ended the game 4 for 4 from behind the arc.  She ended the game 10 of 16 from the field and led McNeese with six rebounds.  Sibley scored three points in the second quarter then took matters in her own hands in the third quarter when the Cowgirls were struggling to score points.  Sibley scored 15 of her 26 points in the third quarter including three of her four treys and was 6 of 7 from the field.
 
McNeese (23-4, 17-1 SLC) extended its program best winning streak to 16 games.  The win is the eighth SLC home win which ties the school record held by the 2010-11 team.  
 
Jalencia Pierre joined Sibley in double figure scoring with 16, one point shy of tying her season high.  Pierre now has 997 career points, three shy of 1,000 career points.
 
UTRGV falls to 16-11 overall and 13-5 in the SLC.  The Vaqueros' Charlotte O'Keefe led all players with a double double (18 points, 18 rebounds), her 11^th double double this season. O'Keefe is the programs career rebound leader and ranks 10^th in the NCAA in rebounds.
 
UTRGV held a slim 12-10 first quarter lead but the Cowgirls outscored the Vaqueros 15-12 in the  second quarter to hold a 25-24 lead.  Both teams scored 21 points apiece in the third quarter with the Cowgirls heading into the final period leading by one point (46-45).
 
UTRGV took a 47-46 lead on an O'Keefe layup with just over nine minutes left in the game but when the Cowgirls needed a basket they went to the hot hand and Sibley had the hot hand tonight.  Her turnaround jumper with 8:28 to play gave the Cowgirls the lead for good at 48-47 and McNeese went on to outscored UTRGV 14-8 in the quarter.
 
McNeese scored 23 of its points off 26 URTGV turnovers and was credited with 16 steals and 12 assists.  Pierre led the Cowgirls with five assists.
 
The Cowgirls were flawless from the free throw line, making all 16 attempts and ended the game shooting 35.7 percent from the field.  UTRGV was 10-15 from the free throw line and shot 40.4 percent from the field.
 
McNeese will host Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at 1 p.m. Saturday on Senior Day.  The six seniors will be honored following the game.
 
 McNEESE NOTES
• Clinched no less that a share of the SLC regular season title
• It's third regular season Southland title (1986, 2011, 2026)
• Picked up its school record 17th SLC win
• Have won 19 of last 21 games
• Continued its program best 16 game winning streak, the seventh longest winning streak in the NCAA this season.
• The win ties the most home SLC wins in a season at eight
• Tyreona Sibley scored a career high 26 points and made a career high four three-pointers (4-4)
• Jalencia Pierre scored 16 points and need three more to reach 1,000 career points
 
UPCOMING GAMES
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.)*
 
Home Games in BOLD
*- Southland Conference Opener