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HOUSTON –
Rachel Arthur's 19th, 20th, and 21st points of the game could not have come at a more important time, as her three-pointer turned a slim three-point lead to a six-point advantage with 49 seconds remaining, as HBU concluded the regular season defeating McNeese State, 77-67, Saturday afternoon at Sharp Gym.
Arthur tied her career-high of 21 points for HBU (12-17 overall, 8-10 SLC), as HBU defeated the Cowgirls for the first time in program history (1-3). Arthur went 7-of-17 from the floor, 3-of-5 from beyond the arc, and 4-of-6 from the line.
Shanice Steenholdt recorded her 15th double-double, as she had game highs of 25 points and 14 rebounds.
Anna Strickland came off the bench to score nine points.
Tayler Jefferson and
Wiebke Bruns, the latter playing in her final game for the Huskies, scored seven, while Bruns had a team-high five assists.
Reigning SLC Player of the Week, Cecilia Okoye, led McNeese State (17-12 overall, 10-8 SLC) with 18 points, while Allison Baggett scored 17 and Jalyn Johnson added 10. Arianna James pulled down a team-high 11 rebounds.
The Cowgirls took a six-point lead, 14-8, following an Okoye jumper at the 15:58-mark before HBU used an 11-5 run to tie the contest at 19-all with 10:18 remaining. There were five more ties in the next five minutes before HBU used a 5-0 run to take a 32-27 lead with 3:37 to go in the opening half.
McNeese State came as close as one point on three separate occasions, but had to settle for a one-point deficit heading to halftime, as Okoye's jumper with four seconds remaining made the score, 36-35, in favor of the Huskies.
Steenholdt scored half of the Huskies points, as she led all players with 18, going 9-for-13 from the floor. She also led all players with nine rebounds. Okoye led McNeese State with 10 points.
HBU opened the second half leading by four, 41-37. Baggett nailed a triple, which was followed by a jumper by
Erin McGarrachan, which made the score, 43-40, with 16:34 to go in regulation.
McNeese State then went on a 13-0 run to take a 10-point lead, 53-43, with 12:20 to go. The Cowgirls led by as many as 11, 56-45, before HBU used its own 10-0 run to cut the deficit to three, 56-53, with 9:29 to go in the game. The run was highlighted by a three-pointer by Arthur, followed by a steal by Steenholdt on the Cowgirls' next possession, which led to HBU free throws.
The Cowgirls increased their lead to seven, but the Huskies used a 9-2 run to tie the game at 62-all with 5:21 remaining.
Tied 64-64,
Anna Strickland was fouled and made two huge free throws that gave the Huskies the lead for good, 66-64, with just under three minutes remaining. Leading by three following a made free throw by Arthur, Jefferson blocked a shot, which led to a huge three-pointer by Arthur that gave HBU a six-point lead, 72-66, with 49 seconds remaining. The Huskies made 5-of-6 free throws to seal the win.
HBU ends the campaign with 12 wins, which were the most in a single season since the 2007-08 team went 14-11.