THIBODAUX—  McNeese women's basketball erased a 12-point halftime deficit Thursday night to extend its program best winning streak to 18 games with a come from behind 69-59 win over Nicholls to improve to 25-4 overall and 19-1 in the SLC.  Nicholls falls to 12-15 overall and 8-12 in the SLC with the loss.

McNeese ended the game with four players scoring in double figures.  Arianna Patton paced the Cowgirls with 17 points, 15 of which came from behind the arc.  Patton scored 14 of her 17 points in the second half and started the Cowgirl comeback by scoring the first six points of the second half.

Dakota Howard chipped in with 16 points, 14 coming the second half. Lexi Alexander and Jalencia Pierre both ended the game with 11 apiece.  Alexander missed a double double by one rebound by pulling down a game high nine boards.  Pierre was credited with six assists.

After a bad offensive first half that saw the Cowgirls shoot 20.0 percent from the field (6 of 30) including 1 of 8 from three-point range and were 9 of 12 from the free throw line, the Cowgirls came out on fire in the second half, sparked by Patton's outside shooting.

Patton connected on two straight treys to open the second half that led to a McNeese 18-2 run in the first five minutes of the third quarter to give the Cowgirls a seven-point lead (43-36) on a jumper by Pierre.  Patton's fourth three-pointer of the gave McNeese its first lead of the game (39-36) with 5:51 left in the third quarter.

Nicholls got as close as three points twice in the fourth quarter, the last time with 9:28 left in the game.  McNeese went on to outscore the Colonels 18-11 the rest of the way.  

Nicholls shot 48.0 percent from the field in the first half, connecting on 12 of 25 from the field and shot 69.2 from the free throw line (9 of 13).
McNeese shot 58.1 percent from the field (18 for 31), 75 percent (6 for 8) from three-point range and made all five free throws in the second half.

The Cowgirls will conclude its road swing with a 2 p.m. game at New Orleans Saturday.
 
McNEESE NOTES
• Have won a school record 19 SLC games
• Have won 21 of last 23 games
• Extended its program best 18 game winning streak, currently the fifth longest winning streak in the NCAA this season.
• Erased a 12-point halftime deficit to pick up the win
• Four Cowgirls scored in double figures
• Arianna Patton led McNeese with 17 points, Dakota Howard scored 16, Lexi Alexander and Jalencia Pierre scored 11 each
• Lexi Alexander led all players with nine rebounds
• Jalencia Pierre dished out a game high six assists.
• McNeese scored 22 points off 18 Nicholls turnovers
• McNeese scored 13 fast break points and 12 second chance points
• McNeese outrebounded Nicholls 34-31
• McNeese was credited with 18 assists and 12 steals