McNeese Women's Basketball drops SLC opener 80-55 at Stephen F. Austin

From Staff Reports

The Contraband

NACOGDOCHES, Texas—McNeese women’s basketball struggled in all facets of the game here Saturday in its 80-55 Southland Conference opener to Stephen F. Austin, the two-time defending regular season champions. The loss drops the Cowgirls to 8-5 on the year and 0-1 in the SLC. SFA improved to 7-5 on the year and 1-0 in the SLC. 
“Hats off to SFA, they came and did what they were suppose to do,” said head coach Brooks Donald Williams. “We got beat in every aspect of the game. They played us a couple difference defenses, nothing we haven’t seen this year, and we just threw the ball away.”

Senior Jayln Johnson led the Cowgirls in scoring with 19 points, was the only McNeese player to score in double figures. Johnson ended the game 5-of-11 from the field and was perfect from the free throw line, making all seven attempts. Sophomore Frederica Haywood scored nine points and grabbed seven rebounds. Sophomore Mercedes Rogers led the Cowgirls with eight rebounds. Allison Baggett, the Cowgirls’ leading scorer was held to four points, eight points below her average.

After trading baskets in the first few minutes of the game, McNeese opened up a five- point lead behind a three-pointer from Amber Donnes and a layup from Haywood. The Cowgirls held on to a slim one-point lead (13-12) following the first quarter.

Haywood opened the second quarter with a jumper to give the Cowgirls a 15-12 lead and then Haywood made one of two free throws for a 16-12 lead. SFA tied the game up at 16 and again at 21. After a free throw by Hannah Cupit that gave McNeese a 22-21 lead with 5:33 left in the second quarter, SFA went on a 10-3 run the rest of the way to take a 31-25 lead into the locker room.

SFA continued to build on its lead in the third quarter and went on to outscore McNeese 25-12 to hold a 56-37 lead. McNeese used a full-court press to attempt to create turnovers and at times it did but the Cowgirls would give the ball back on their end or wouldn’t convert.

The Ladyjacks built its largest lead of the game (29 points) with 1:58 and again with 1:19 to play.

McNeese, who entered the game as the league’s top free throw shooting team at 77 percent, ended the game making 52 percent from the free throw line today, making 12 of 25. The Cowgirls struggled from the field as well, shooting 34.5 percent and only 19 percent from three-point range.

The Cowgirls will look to regroup on Monday when they travel to Houston Baptist for a 7 p.m. game