HOUSTON – HBU women's basketball falls to McNeese, 86-74, in Southland Conference women's basketball Saturday afternoon at Sharp Gym.

Sophomore guard Sydney Carr and junior guard Amanda Johnson led the Huskies (5-12, 1-6 SLC), firing 16 points each. Carr shot 85.7 percent from the floor, while Johnson shot 50.0 percent from the floor and shot 4-of-7 from the 3-point range. Sophomore forward Lauren Calver put up 13 points, brought down four boards, had three assists and two steals. Sophomore guard Sophie Taylor and sophomore guard Britta Daub scored nine points each. Daub grabbed six rebounds, had three assists and three blocks. Junior Center Veronika Kirienko contributed six points and led the Huskies, pulling down seven rebounds.

HBU shot 46.6 percent from the field, hitting 6-of-13 from behind the arc and 14-of-23 from the free-throw line. The Huskies outrebounded McNeese 39-38.

McNeese (8-10, 4-3 SLC) had four players shoot for double-figures. Dede Sheppard shot 42.9 percent from the field, leading all scorers with 19 points. Mercedes Rogers put up 17 points, pulled down seven rebounds and had four steals. Bre'Ashlee Jones and Caitlin Davis each added 15 points. Davis also had six rebounds, seven assists and three steals.  

McNeese shot 46.6 percent from the floor, shot 6-of-13 from the 3-point line and 14-of-23 from the free-throw line.

HBU led early in the first, after a 10-4 run thanks to buckets by Carr, Johnson, Daub and Calver. The Cowgirls closed the gap, hitting the next eight points. Carr ended their run with a layup, followed by a jumper from Kirienko. The Huskies finished the first with Taylor's shot from the paint and Daub's 3-pointer to lead, 20-12.

Freshman guard Megan Valdez-Crader cut a three-point Cowgirl run with a layup, but the Cowgirls answered back with the next 11 points to make it a one-point game. Johnson drained a three to put the Huskies back up, 31-29. The Cowgirls came back with the next three points, before Kirienko drained the last four points. The Huskies led at the half, 35-33.

Calver started the Huskies off early in the third quarter with a jumper and Johnson aided with a bucket from behind the arc, but within second the Cowgirls responded with a 3-pointer, claiming the next eight points. Calver came up with Huskies next seven points, while the Cowgirls scored nine points. Taylor chipped in with seconds to go, but the Cowgirls ended the third with the final points, taking the lead, 57-51.

After a 16-9 run led by the Cowgirls, the Huskies were down, 73-60. Carr put up the next three points from behind the line, but the Cowgirls answered back with the next six. The Huskies started a five-point run highlighted by a 3-pointer by Johnson, 79-68. Carr dropped in a shot, before McNeese pulled away with a four-point run. With five seconds to go, Johnson put away another 3-pointer to end it, 86-74.

Next up for the Huskies is a road trip to face Incarnate Word Wednesday, Jan. 24 at 6 p.m., followed by a 5 p.m. game at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Saturday, Jan. 27 at 5 p.m. HBU will return home to face Stephen F. Austin Wednesday, Jan. 31 at 7 p.m., before going back on the road.