HAMMOND, La. – McNeese made 14 three-point field goals on the way to a 75-70 comeback victory over Southeastern Louisiana in Southland Conference women's basketball action Saturday afternoon at the University Center.
 
Southeastern (9-15, 4-9 Southland) jumped out to a 17-point lead, but could not hold off the Cowgirls (6-17, 4-8 Southland), who netted 56.0 percent (14-of-25) of their shots from behind the arc.
 
McNeese's dead-eye long-range shooting spoiled standout performances by the Lady Lion backcourt duo of Jaclyn Scholvin and Charliee Dugas. Scholvin poured in a career-high 23 points and made all four of her three-point field goal attempts.
 
Dugas added 21 points of her own, while also pacing the Lady Lions with seven rebounds and four steals. Kyla Williams chipped in with nine points, while Celica Sterling dished out a team-high four assists.
 
Regan Bolton made six of McNeese's treys on the way of a game-high 25 points and was joined in double figures by Callie Maddox and Sky Jasper with 12 and 11 points, respectively. Bre'Ashlee Jones and Damilola Balogun each grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds for the Cowgirls, though SLU did finish with the rebounding advantage.
 
SLU dominated the opening period, as Scholvin scored 14 points over the first 10 minutes. The Lady Lions held the Cowgirls to 21.4 shooting (3-for-14) from the floor to take a 22-7 lead after the first quarter.
 
A three-point field goal by Sterling grew the lead to 27-10 with 7:27 left in the second quarter. However, McNeese methodically whittled down the lead over the rest of the quarter. A three by Kaylee Hughes on the final possession cut the SLU lead to 36-29 at the halftime break.
 
McNeese took its first lead since the opening minutes late in the third quarter. A Maddox three put the Cowgirls up, 49-48, with 3:53 remaining in the period. McNeese closed the quarter with a 9-3 run, capped by a half-court shot at the buzzer by Bolton that sent the Cowgirls into the final period with a 55-51 cushion.
 
Southeastern would never regain the lead, but pulled within one, 63-62, with 3:44 remaining one on a Sterling free throw. However, Bolton answered with back-to-back threes that gave McNeese a 69-62 advantage with 1:44 left, before icing the game by making five of six free throws in the final seconds to clinch the win.
 
Saturday's contest was the first of two straight at home for SLU. The Lady Lions will host New Orleans for a 7 p.m. league contest on Wednesday in the University Center. In conjunction with the game, SLU will participate in the national Play4Kay initiative, dedicated to the fight against cancer.
 
Cancer survivors are invited to a special pre-game 6 p.m. reception in the St. Tammany Room and to be honored prior to the game. The first 150 fans and 50 students will receive a Play4Kay t-shirt. Several campus organizations are raising money through a bike-a-thon at the game. All proceeds will benefit the Kay Yow Fund, named for the late North Carolina State legendary coach who inspired the Play4Kay initiative.
 
Wednesday will also be a Cane's Challenge at the UC. If the Lady Lions score 50 or more points versus the Privateers, fans will be able to take their game ticket or student coupon to their local participating Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers to receive a free combo with the purchase of another of equal or greater value.
 
Scholvin will be Wednesday's Spotlight Player of the Game. The first 150 fans at the SLU-UNO tilt will receive a trading card featuring the Mandeville, Louisiana native courtesy of PRIDE.
 
TICKET INFORMATION
For ticket information for Southeastern Women's Basketball, contact the Southeastern Athletics Ticket Office at (985) 549-5466 or visit www.lionsports.net/tickets.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on Southeastern Women's Basketball, follow @SoutheasternWBB on Twitter, like /SoutheasternWBB on Facebook and subscribe to the SLUathletics YouTube channel.
 
CLEAR BAG POLICY
Southeastern Athletics has instituted a clear bag policy for all ticketed events, effective with the start of the 2018 football season. For more information on the clear bag policy, visit www.LionSports.net/clear.