COLLEGE STATION, Texas— McNeese women's basketball made history Thursday night by winning its first P4 game since the P4 was established in 2014 by defeating No. 1 seed Texas A&M 68-48 in the first round of the WBIT.
With the win, McNeese improves to 29-5 overall while Texas A&M ends its season 14-13 overall.
The win is the first postseason win for the Cowgirls since 2015 when the Cowgirls defeated Furman 87-70 in the first round of the WBI, what is now considered the WNIT. The Cowgirls will play at San Diego State on Sunday, March 22. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m. (CT) and the game will stream on ESPN+.
Allasia Washington scored a career high 20 points to lead the Cowgirls in the win. Washington scored 10 of the Cowgirls' first 14 points and ended the game making 6 of 11 attempts from the field including two three-pointers and was perfect from the free throw line.
Dakota Howard scored 13 points and
Arianna Patton chipped in with 11 points.
Both teams got off to a slow start but the Cowgirls held a 10-6 first quarter lead and held a 12-point halftime lead, 32-20.
McNeese continued to built on its lead, outscoring the Aggies 36-28 in the second half on its way to the win.
The Cowgirls defense held Texas A&M offense without a field goal in the final 3:29 minutes of the game and forced the Aggies to turn the ball over 18 times and scored 20 points off those turnovers.
1st Quarter
Both teams were 0-13 combined before
Tyreona Sibley scored the games first points
Washington hit a three-pointer to give McNeese an early 5-0 lead, five minutes into the game
Cowgirls held a 10-6 first quarter lead and were 4-17 from the field (24%), 2-7 from three-point range (29%)
The Aggies were 3 for 18 from the field (17%), 0-7 from 3-pt. range (0%)
2nd Quarter
McNeese held a double digit lead for most of the second quarter and went into the half leading by 12 points (32-20. McNeese took its largest lead of the half (11 points) 25-14 on a layup by Washington with 3:25 left in the half.
The Cowgirls outscored the Aggies 7-3 in the final three minutes of the half
Washington scored 16 first half points. She was 6 of 9 from the field and 2 of 4 from three-point range and made both free throws.
McNeese shot 38.7 percent from the half (12 of 31) while Texas A&M shot 32 percent (9 of 28)
Texas A&M turned the ball over 12 in the first half, McNeese turned the ball over only five times
Texas A&M outrebounded McNeese 22-16 in the first half with 18 coming on defense.
Halftime: McNeese 32, Texas A&M 20
3rd Quarter
The Cowgirls went on a 7-0 run to take lead 46-30 with less than five minutes in the quarter
McNeese held Texas A&M to no field goals in the final 4:14 of the quarter
McNeese led 48-35 after the third quarter
4th Quarter
McNeese held its largest lead of the game (58-40) on two free throws by Jalencia Pierre with 5:18 left.
