Final Stats KATY, Texas  – The Nicholls State University women's basketball team took on McNeese State for the third time this season, but unlike the first two matchups, the Cowgirls had no trouble scoring as McNeese shot 53 percent from the field, handing Nicholls a 86-70 loss in the second round of the Southland Conference Tournament.

Nicholls finishes the season with a program-best 19-11 record. The 19 victories eclipsed the previous record of 15 wins, which was set by last year's squad. The Colonels also matched their best mark with 11 victories in the Southland.

Freshman Emani White led Nicholls off the bench, scoring 18 points on 6-of-12 from the field. Alisha Allen, in her final game for the Colonels, scored 17 points, followed by KK Babin (16) and Jasmine Scott (10). Only six Colonels scored in the game, with Hope Pawlowski adding eight and Syleida Ellis had a free throw.

The Colonels never led in the game, only tying the score four times in the first half. Behind an 18-point first half from Ashlyn Baggett, the Cowgirls took a 42-31 lead into the break. Baggett led all scorers on the day with 25 points.

Nicholls looked to have grabbed some momentum before the intermisison as White banked home a 3-pointer with 14 seconds left, but Allison Baggett came back to drain a 3-pointer before the buzzer.

In the second half, Allen knocked down a jumper from behind the arc to cut the deficit to 44-38 two minutes in, but the Cowgirls answered with the next five points, capped on a 3-pointer by Caitlyn Baggett. McNeese finished with eight 3-pointers on the day, while Nicholls connected on six.

Nicholls tried to make runs, trimming the lead down to eight five times before the 10-minute mark, but McNeese pushed its lead to 72-57 after a basket-and-one by Jayln Johnson, who scored 16 off the bench. The Colonels never came closer than 12 the rest of the way as their bid for the first 20-win season in program came up short.

Nicholls finished at 41 percent from the field and made 6-of-14 from behind the arc. The Cowgirls made 8-of-15 from 3-point range and won the rebounding battle, 37-31. Celicia Okoye had a double-double for McNeese with 17 points and 11 rebounds.

For next season, the Colonels return everyone from the record-breaking squad, with the exception of senior Alisha Allen, who finishes the season with a 15.6 point per game average. The Colonels also bring in three high school seniors – Elexus Allen (San Antonio), Marina Lilly (Dallas) and Taylor Morrison (Baton Rouge).