LAKE CHARLES, La. – The ULM women's basketball team erased a 16-point second half deficit, including a nine-point deficit inside the final two minutes, but McNeese State made one final play to defeat the Warhawks 72-69 Sunday afternoon at the H&HP Center.
"I'm proud of our effort at the end," ULM head coach Brooks Donald Williams said. "I thought we got incredible energy from the bench, the five on the floor, from everybody to get us back within reach to win a game. We've just got to find a way to do that from the tip."
For Williams, the game marked a return to McNeese, where she was head coach for nine seasons, and is the Cowgirls' all-time winningest coach.
ULM trailed by nine, 69-60, with under two minutes to play when the Warhawks made their move. Freshman Gara Beth Self started a furious 9-0 run with a layup with 1:43 remaining in the game. Senior Lauren Fitch forced a steal and picked up a fast-break layup to bring the Warhawks within five, 69-64, with 1:09 left.
Nearly 30 seconds later, it was déjà vu. Fitch knocked the ball away from McNeese point guard Rayah Haynes and raced the other way for another fast-break layup to bring the Warhawks within a possession at 69-66 with 44 seconds left. It was the last of Fitch's game-high 23 points for ULM.
"Fitch is growing every day," Williams said. "I thought she played maybe one of her best games today. She played with a lot of poise on both ends. In that final stretch, I thought she took her game to a different level."
On the ensuing possession, McNeese tried to break ULM's full court press, but an offensive foul on Bre'Ashlee Jones, drawn by sophomore Sheniqua Coatney, gave the Warhawks the ball once again.
"I thought Shaq made some really big plays in the press," Williams said. "That was a huge play, drawing the charge. Shaq is such a momentum-swing player. She can come in and make a big difference with our team. She can be a huge impact kid for us."
After a timeout, ULM freshman Linda van Schaik connected on an open 3-pointer from the left wing to tie the game at 69 with 27 seconds to play.
McNeese finally had an offensive answer on the next possession. Haynes made up for her two turnovers by driving the lane and knocking down a runner and drawing the foul. She completed the 3-point play to put the Cowgirls back up 72-69 with 10 seconds left.
ULM used its final timeout to try and draw up a play to tie the game again. However, the play broke down, and van Schaik's shot from the left side went long at the buzzer, as the Cowgirls held on for the win.
The 9-0 run capped a rally from a 16-point deficit early in the third quarter. A personal 7-0 run by junior Diamond Brooks brought the Warhawks within eight at 51-43. ULM would close within five early in the fourth quarter on a bucket by Coatney, but McNeese scored six straight points to answer and extend the lead back to 11 at 67-56 with 6:30 left. After back-to-back baskets from ULM, McNeese would answer with a jumper by Divine Tanks to lead 69-60 with 3:17 left, setting up the late drama.
The first half belonged to McNeese. The Cowgirls used an 8-0 run late in the first quarter to take a 19-8 lead on a 3-pointer by Regan Bolton. McNeese led 19-12 after a quarter. In the second quarter, ULM pulled within five at 21-16, but McNeese used a 9-2 spurt to push the lead back to double-digits at 30-18. The Cowgirls led by as much as 15 in the quarter, and led by 12 at halftime, 40-28.
In addition to her 23 points, Fitch added six rebounds, seven assists and three steals, and shot 9-of-13 from the field. Brooks had 12 points, all in the third quarter. Self, playing her most minutes since the Nov. 12 game at Tennessee Tech, added 11 points for ULM.
McNeese was paced by 16 points from Callie Maddox. Bolton added 14. Jones tallied a 12-point, 12-rebound double-double, while Haynes picked up 11 points.
ULM shot 49.2% (29-of-59) from the field, including 3-of-9 from 3-point range. The Warhawks were 8-of-14 at the free throw line. ULM finished with 30 rebounds, nine offensive, with 13 assists, 10 steals, two blocks and 21 turnovers.
McNeese shot 45.6% (26-of-57) from the field, and was 40% from 3-point range (6-of-15). The Cowgirls shot 73.7% from the free throw line (73.7%). McNeese picked up 36 rebounds, 12 offensive, with 16 assists, nine steals and 22 turnovers.
ULM is back in action at noon Saturday, hosting Houston Baptist at Fant-Ewing Coliseum. Links to live video, audio and stats are available on the women's basketball schedule page at ULMWarhawks.com. For tickets, call 318-342-HAWK or go to ulmwarhawks.com.
