KATY, Texas – After maintaining the lead after the 1:16 mark of the first period, the HBU women's basketball team advanced themselves to the next round after the opening matchup of the 2021 Southland Conference Tournament with the 74-60 victory against the McNeese Cowgirls in a mid-morning start at the Merrell Center in Katy, Texas.  

The Huskies were on the board from an N'Denasija Collins layup and a couple Timia Jefferson free throws. The teams traded the lead back and forth, with McNeese holding their only lead og the game at 13-12, back-to-back Jefferson layups and a free throw gave HBU the 17-13 lead after the first. The Huskies pushed the lead with Julija Vujakovic breaking into the twenties. Up by as much as 10, Divine Tanks helped the Cowgirls inch closer at 27-23. The Huskies held the lead by seven with Vujakovic's second three with 2:19 to go, but McNeese maintained their shots to stay close with a couple of Claralee Richard free throws as the teams went into the locker rooms with HBU leading 36-30.  

With a slow start to the second half, a Kennedy Wilson three pointer forced McNeese into a timeout. After another Vujakovic three with just under five minutes to go in the third, the Huskies surged outscoring the Cowgirls 10-4 to gain their largest lead of the game by 18. Collins fought McNeese to keep them from getting under 10 and with an Abbey Sutherland three pointer from Jefferson's assistance, the Huskies were up by 18 for a second time with 6:24 in the game to go. The teams fought back and forth points, but with eight Cowgirl fouls, four of them in the final five minutes, HBU sealed their ticket to the next round 74-60. 

HBU was led by Julija Vujakovic with 20 points on the game going 5-for-7 at the three-point line and 7-for-17 from the field. N'Denasija Collins posted her sixth double-double of the 2021 season with 18 points and 13 boards. Timia Jefferson was just behind with 16 points and six assists while Kennedy Wilson added 10 points, seven rebounds, and five assists.  

The Huskies shot 42.9 percent from the field going 12-for-20 at the line. HBU fell just behind outrebound 44-42. The Cowgirls shot 32.2 percent from the field with 15 points from the bench. 

HBU will face off for the first time this season to No. 5 seed Central Arkansas for the second-round game of the Southland Conference tournament on Thursday, March 11 for another morning matchup with tip-off at 11 a.m.