After 34 minutes of solid play, the Cowgirls’ youth showed up at the worst of times Thursday night.

McNeese State lost a nine-point lead in the final 5:16 and fell 85-82 to Mississippi Valley State on the first night of their own Multi-Team Event inside the Legacy Center.

Up 80-71 after a pair of Boston Berry free throws, the Cowgirls were outscored 14-2 down the stretch, dropping their record to 1-2 on the season. The Devilettes improved to 1-2 at the same time.

“We have to step up to the moment and we didn’t get it done in the fourth quarter,” said McNeese head coach Lynn Kennedy. “We didn’t execute at the end.”

It was a terrible fourth quarter for the Cowgirls after maybe their best 10 minutes of the season in the third. Grabbing a 73-61 lead after three, MVSU outscored McNeese 24-9 in the fourth.

McNeese made just 2-of-15 shots from the field and turned the ball over seven times. There were also 12 fouls whistled on the Cowgirls in the period, the same amount as in the first three. Nine of those came in the final six minutes with four being called illegal blocks.

“The game changed in the fourth and we didn’t change with it,” said Kennedy. “Regardless of that, you have to be able to step up in the moment.”

Sh’Diamond McKnight’s runner with 5.6 seconds remaining put the game away though McNeese did get one last shot to tie but it was blocked, though replays clearly showed Azjah Reeves was fouled by Jaylia Reed on the play.

Amberly Brown, who led MVSU with 23 points, hit a short shot with 57 seconds left to give the Devilettes the lead for good at 83-82 just 21 seconds after Berry’s runner gave the Cowgirls their last lead of the night.

Brown added 11 rebounds to her stats, while McKnight finished with 18 points and 10 assists.

Emilia Tenbrock led all scorers with 26 points after she didn’t start the game for what Kennedy said was to give her some motivation.

The junior transfer responded by hitting on 8-of-11 shots from the floor and all eight of her free throws. She was 2-of-4 on 3-pointers.

Tenbrock scored the last 11 Cowgirl points of the first quarter to cut the MVSU to 22-21 after one. She had 19 at half as McNeese led 44-39.

Reeves and Ana Cabanas each had 13 for the Cowgirls, while Berry finished with 12.

McNeese will continue the MTE Friday when they host Wisconsin-Milwaukee at 7 p.m. UWM lost the first game Thursday to Louisiana-Monroe 73-67.

McNeese and Monroe will meet to close out the event Saturday at 4 p.m.