THIBODAUX, La. – Freshman Cassidy Barrios scored a game-high 24 point and senior LiAnn McCarthy finished with 22 as the Nicholls State University women's basketball team erased a late 12-point deficit against McNeese State to give head coach DoBee Plaisance her record-setting 90th win in an 85-81 triumph on Saturday afternoon at Stopher Gym.
 
Plaisance, in her eighth season, tied former Hall of Fame coach Ben Abadie's mark of 89 last Saturday at UIW. The win over McNeese (15-8, 7-4 SLC) inched the Colonels (8-13, 6-5 SLC)  closer to earning a fifth-consecutive postseason berth, which is just one of several records under Plaisance since she arrived in Thibodaux in 2008. Along with most coaching wins, Plaisance has led the Colonels to three straight winnings seasons, 19 wins in a single season and a seven-game winning streak – all program records.
 
The record looked to be put on hold once again as an Allison Baggett 3-pointer with 6:34 remaining in the game gave McNeese a 73-61 lead, but the Colonels stormed back with a phenomenal 22-5 run. Following a timeout, McCarthy started the comeback  with a bucket and Barrios came through with a 3-pointer. Another Barrios 3 cut the deficit to make it a one-possession game at 78-75, she then found Airi Hamilton, who scored 11 points, underneath for a basket-and-one that evened the score with 2:18 to go.
 
The run continued for Nicholls thanks to back-to-back steals from Hope  Pawlowski. Her first led to a layup by McCarthy for the lead and she took the second one in for a layup for an 82-78 advantage. Pawlowski, who ranks in the top 25 in the country in steals, tallied four on the day, while adding three assists.
 
Down four, McNeese had a chance to cut it in half with 47 seconds remaining, but after making their first 15 free throws of the game, Victoria Rachal missed two at the stripe for the Cowgirls. Following a free throw by the Colonels, Rachal redeemed herself by knocking in a 3-pointer with 19 seconds remaining, making the score 83-81.
 
McCarthy calmly followed with a pair of free throws to make it a two-possession game, and a last-second 3-pointer by McNeese was blocked by Tia Charles as the buzzer sounded. Charles had an outstanding all-around game as she tallied 14 points, four rebounds, four steals and three assists.
 
Barrios and McCarthy combined for 36 of the Colonels' 52 points in the second half, helping Nicholls erase a 40-33 deficit at the intermission. Barrios finished 9-of-11 from the field, but did not miss a shot in the second half as she connected on all seven field goals including four from behind the arc. McCarthy collected nine rebounds, matching her career-high as Nicholls tied the Cowgirls on the boards at 38.
 
The Colonels held an 18-16 lead after the first quarter, but McNeese dominated the second and outscored Nicholls 24-15. The Colonels had no answer for Keara Hudnall inside as she went 6-for-6 for 13 points. Hudnall finished the game with 24 points for the Cowgirls and was joined in double figures by Baggett with 22 points and Rachal added 14.
 
Nicholls never led in the third and trailed by as much as 13 early in the fourth before putting together their dazzling finish.
 
The win over in-state rival McNeese was a perfect example of the outstanding job Plaisance has done since taking over the program. The Cowgirls headed into the matchup with a 53-18 advantage in the all-time series, but the victory was the Colonels' seventh consecutive win over McNeese in the regular season.
 
Nicholls will have the week off before returning to the court next Saturday, Feb. 13 at Southeastern Louisiana.  Tipoff against the Lady Lions is scheduled for 1 p.m.