Stephanie Guihon scored a career-high 17 points vs. UL-Monroe.

After spending a brief time at home, the McNeese State basketball teams are heading back on the road.

The Cowgirls (3-6) open a two-game road trip at noon today at Ole Miss before heading to Texas Tech on Monday.

The Cowboys (3-8) are off to Southern Mississippi for a Sunday game against another Sun Belt team off to a fast start after Thursday’s home loss to Louisiana-Lafayette.

After that the Cowboys also head to Texas for a Wednesday showdown with No. 5 Houston, their fourth game this season agains a Top 25 opponent.

“These are some games against very good teams that we hope will help us when we get to our conference,” said McNeese men’s head coach John Aiken.

The Cowboys are in a stretch where their last three foes before Christmas have each lost one game. Five, if you go back to Iowa State.

Women’s head coach Lynn Kennedy said he feels about the same.

“It is important that we compete in these games,” said Kennedy, who has lost to two Big Ten teams already as they head into SEC country.

“We have played against tough teams in tough environments,” Kennedy added. “We want to take it to the next level.”

The Cowgirls enter today’s match on a two-game win streak after beating Louisiana-Monroe 76-66 at home Wednesday night.

Much like the men’s team, the women have suffered through injuries and illness but are starting to get healthier.

“That is the main thing, we want to be healthy by the time league starts,” Kennedy said. “We are not there yet.”

The Rebels are off to a 9-2 start, 7-0 at home. McNeese is looking for its first road victory.

Ole Miss is led by Angel Baker, who is scoring at a 14.2 clip. Auburn transfer Paris Mullins leads the Cowgirls with a 13-point average.

Rutgers transfer Stephanie Guihon is coming off her career high. The grad student scored 17 points on 5-of-7 shooting against Monroe.

The Cowboys will face their second consecutive one-loss team when they travel to Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The Golden Eagles are 10-1 after completing a rare home-and-home sweep of Southland Conference member Lamar.

Southern Miss won the two games by an average margin of 31 points. McNeese beat the Cardinals 66-57 on Nov. 20 in Lake Charles.

“We have had a very tough schedule and hope that this makes us better when it comes to league play,” Aiken said.

McNeese is 2-5 all-time against the Golden Eagles with the last meeting on New Year’s Eve in 2011 at Burton Coliseum. Southern Miss is scheduled to return to Lake Charles next season.

The Eagles’ lone loss was an 84-82 decision at Northwestern State on Dec. 4.

Four Southern Miss players are averaging double digits with Felipe Haase leading the way at 17.3 a game on 54.3 shooting from 3-point range.