After suffering a heartbreaking loss to the league’s best team on Thursday night, the Cowgirls have little time to get over it.

McNeese State (8-11, 3-3 Southland Conference) returns to action against Northwestern State at 1 p.m. today in the last of a four-game homestand that will will test their bounce-back ability.

“We will have to be ready to go,” said McNeese head coach Lynn Kennedy. “They are going to come in here ready to play against us.”

The Demons (9-8, 2-4) are on a three-game losing streak. Like the Cowgirls, they live and die with the 3-point shot.

The teams are No. 1 and No. 2 in the SLC in 3-point shots per game.

“They are a lot better than their record,” Kennedy said. “They have guards who can attack you.”

McNeese has won three of its last four games but fell short against Southeastern Louisiana. Despite leading for all but 36 seconds, SLU won 69-68.

“There are moments where we look like a really good team,” Kennedy said. “There are moments where we don’t.”

Desirae Hansen is finding her shooting touch for McNeese. She leads the Cowgirls in scoring at 10.6 points per game and is coming off a 17-point performance against SLU. Zuzanna Kulinska (10.1 peg) finished with 19.

Freshman Kaili Chamberlin (10.3 peg) is also in double digits.

“We are getting better,” Kennedy said. “We are close, but we are not there yet.”

Northwestern State is led by Candice Perramore at 12.9 points a game and Monette Bolden (12.4).

The fourth-place Cowgirls are trying to hold on to that spot in order to get a first-round bye in the postseason conference tournament. The top two teams get double byes while the third- and fourth-place clubs get a bye.