It’s another Thirsty Thursday in the Legacy Center with the Cowboys starving for a victory.

With time running out, a desperate McNeese State looks to turn its season around before it is too late.

Tonight, the Cowboys try to end a nine-game losing streak when they host Southeastern Louisiana in a Southland Conference showdown.

The last-place Cowboys (5-19, 2-9 SLC) are clearly struggling, having won once since the new year began. The nine consecutive losses are two shy of the program’s single-season record (1980- 81) and four shy of the record (1980-81, 1981-82). McNeese is three shy of the low mark of 22 losses in a season set four times before including last year. Three of those 22-loss season have been since 2017.

“We have to figure out how to go out there and win a game,” said McNeese head coach John Aiken. “It just takes one. We just have to find a frickin win.”

With seven regular-season games to go, McNeese is a game out of eighth place. The top eight of the SLC’s 10 teams qualify for the postseason conference tournament, which the Cowboys are hosting the first week of March.

“Winning is a habit and losing is a habit,” Aiken said. “We haven’t found a way to win yet.”

As for the Lions (14-10, 8-3), who have won four straight against McNeese, they enter tonight’s game in a three-way tie with Northwestern State and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi for first place. Texas A&M-Commerce is a half game behind the trio.

But this is about McNeese, which has to find a way to finish games. The Cowboys have been in close, losing six games by five or fewer points in the league and three by one possession.

Down the stretch has been the problem. McNeese has been outscored in the last 5 minutes of league games 155-102, committing 27 turnovers in that span and missing half their free throws.

The issues begin even earlier. During the losing streak the Cowboys have been outscored 229-163 (avg. 25-18).

“Winning time has crushed us,” Aiken said. “The margin for winning is so small. We have to stop losing to McNeese. We are losing to McNeese too often.”

That means making mistakes and getting away from the game plan at critical times.

Looking to add life to the lineup Aiken said he is considering starting two freshmen, forward Dionjahe Thomas and guard Donovan Oday. Thomas has started four games while Oday has made one.

Oday had a career-high 14 points and six rebounds last Saturday in 28 minutes at Commerce. Thomas had five points and four boards in 14 minutes.

“Got to give them both more opportunities down the stretch,” Aiken said.

After tonight McNeese will hit the road for a game Saturday at New Orleans.