COMMERCE – In a game with 14 lead changes, including 11 in the first half, the McNeese Cowgirls defeated the Texas A&M University-Commerce women's basketball team, 75-67, in the Field House on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Cowgirls take the second game of the regular season series between the two teams to split the series at one, with both teams winning on the road. Both teams have matching overall records of 9-13 as well. The Lions drop to 7-3 in Southland Conference play, while the Cowgirls are 6-5.
 
Trailing 9-8 early in the first, McNeese made three straight field goals to go up 14-10, matching the Lions' largest lead of four early in the first quarter. The Lions went on a 6-0 run to regain the lead on a long two pointer by Dorian Norris (Lake Dallas). There were eight lead changes in the first quarter and four ties with the Cowgirls leading 21-20 at the end of the first.
 
The Lions went on a 7-0 run, while holding the Cowgirls scoreless for 2 minutes and 40 seconds to take a 33-28 lead with 4:33 left in the second quarter, which was the largest lead up to that point for either team in the game. Olivia Russell (Auburn Hills, Mich.) hit two free throws with 1:35 left in the half to extend the Lion lead to 39-32.
 
McNeese made its last three field goals to end the first half and cut the A&M-Commerce lead down to 40-38 at halftime. Mia Deck (Frisco – Lone Star) led the Lions with 11 points in the first half, shooting 4 for 7 from the field and Laila Lawrence (Lewisville) scored nine. For the Cowgirls, Zuzanna Kulinska scored 11.
 
The Cowgirls took back the lead, their first in over 10 minutes of game action, on a three pointer by Kulinska at the 7:53 mark of the third, 45-44. The Lions held the Cowgirls without a point for 3 minutes and 47 seconds to take back a 50-46 lead. McNeese scored 11 of the next 13 to take a 57-52 lead at the end of the third quarter, closing out the quarter on an 8-0 run.
 
Lawrence scored the first four points of the fourth quarter to trim the deficit down to one. McNeese scored the next five the lead up to six, which was its largest in the game. A&M-Commerce's scoring drought lasted for 3 minutes and seven seconds, which allowed McNeese to go up by eight with 6:01 left in the game. McNeese took its largest lead of the game of nine points with 5:49 left in the game.
 
Kulinska finished the game with 21 points for McNeese, shooting 8 for 12 from the field. Desirae Hansen scored 17. The Cowgirls shot 53.7 percent from the game and held the Lions to shoot 37.1 percent, blocking nine shots. A&M-Commerce shot 1 for 10 from the distance, while McNeese shot 7 for 15.
 
Lawrence led the Lions with 17 points and grabbed her third double-double of the season as well. She had 11 rebounds, one assist, and a block. Deck scored 13 along with four rebounds, four assists, which led the team, and two steals. DesiRay Kernal (Newton, Kan.) played just 21 minutes due to foul trouble, but still totaled 11 points, five rebounds, two assists, and two steals.
 
Russell added seven points, six rebounds, two assists, and three steals. Norris also recorded three steals, while scoring six points. Jordyn Beaty (Woodville) scored seven off the bench along with three rebounds.


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UP NEXT
The Lions face Northwestern State in their next two games. The two teams clash in Commerce on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. and in Natchitoches, Louisiana, next Saturday at 1 p.m.