Second chances are hard to come by.

Second chances in a week are next to impossible.

The Cowgirls will get a second chance tonight, one week after suffering their toughest loss of the season.

Last Thursday, McNeese State’s women’s basketball team lost to Southland Conference-leader Southeastern Louisiana by a point, 69-68, in Lake Charles. Despite leading for all but 36 seconds, the Cowgirls could not hold on.

“It put a fire in us,” said junior forward Divine Tanks. “Due to the way they reacted after the game, it shows they were scared of losing. Now we have to beat them at their place.”

The Lions won on a three-point play by 6-foot-4 center Morgan Davis with 22.1 seconds remaining and raced to center court to celebrate as if they had won the league title.

“That gave us a boost of confidence that we can beat them,” said freshman Kaili Chamberlin. “We went to practice and worked hard getting ready.”

The Cowgirls (9-11, 4-3) have won four of their last five games. The Lions (11-6, 7-0) carry a seven-game win streak into the game.

“If we want to get after it, if we want to block out, we will win (at Southeastern),” said McNeese head coach Lynn Kennedy. “It won’t be easy. I expect they will play better as well.

“They are going to make adjustments. We have to do a better job of blocking out. We will have to play better as well.”

The Cowgirls will have to find a way to contain Davis, who finished with 19 points. She led the way as the Lions scored 16 points in the paint in the fourth quarter alone.

“We had some breakdowns with our defensive rotations,” Kennedy said. “We have to be more active on the ball defensively as well.”

They will also have to deal with two-time SLC Player of the Week Caitlyn Williams. The Lions’ leading scorer had 14 points and eight rebounds in both Southeastern wins last week.

Four Cowgirls scored in double figures against Southeastern with Zuzanna Kulinska’s 19 points leading the way. Desirae Hansen followed with 17.

McNeese will have to do a better job on the boards if it is to win against the SLC’s top defensive team (53.6 ppg allowed). The Cowgirls were outrebounded 40-33. They also turned the ball over 16 times.

“We have to keep them off the boards and take care of the basketball,” Kennedy said. “There are a lot of little things we can do better and will need to do.

“We are an improving team. We now need to find a way to win on the road.”

McNeese could be close to getting size back in the lineup. Freshman 6-4 center Emerson Taylor, who has missed the last seven games with an injury, returned to practice this week.