Kats close road trip, visit McNeese
1/4/2017 9:30:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Game 12
Thursday, Jan. 5 • Lake Charles, La. • 5:30 p.m. • Burton Coliseum (8,000)
Sam Houston State (0-11, 0-1 SLC) vs McNeese (6-7, 1-1 SLC) • Game Notes
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LAKE CHARLES, La. – Sam Houston State closes out its season-long eight-game road trip on Thursday when the squad takes on McNeese at 5:30 p.m. in Southland Conference action.
The Bearkats (0-11, 0-1 SLC) are looking to rebound after turning a five-point halftime lead into a 12-point third-quarter advantage on Monday, only to see Houston Baptist run away with a 61-51 victory in the league opener.
The late-game stumble overshadowed a night in which Sam Houston re-set a season-best for fewest first-half points allowed (20) only to permit its most fourth-quarter points (27).
Freshman post Kiera McKinney registered a season-high three blocks while bringing home eight boards, her second-most of the season and most in seven games. The Amarillo, Texas, native ranks tied for 18th nationally among freshmen for blocks per game (1.36).
In the defeat, senior Jasmine McCants came off the bench to add 12 points, her fourth double-digit performance of the year. The output marked the most points for the Pensacola, Fla., product since setting a career high with 18 against UTRGV on Nov. 26.
While Sam Houston is seeking to earn its first win on Thursday, it is also attempting to snap a three-game losing streak to McNeese. The meeting will be the 53rd all-time between the two programs with the Cowgirls owning a slight 28-24 edge in the series.
A season ago, the Bearkats fell 82-79 at Burton Coliseum, the third straight loss at the facility. In that game, current sophomore Lydia Baxter added a team-best seven rebounds. A win on Thursday would be the first for Sam Houston in Lake Charles since Feb. 24, 2010.
McNeese, which was picked fifth by the league's head coaches during the preseason, has split its first two Southland Conference games. The Cowgirls knocked off Northwestern State, 68-63, before falling 96-65 to Stephen F. Austin on Monday.
