Hoping the schedule provides an early holiday gift, the Cowgirls look to snap a six-game skid tonight against North American University.

Suffering though injuries and the flu bug, McNeese State’s women’s basketball team has lost their legs in the early part of the season.

The Cowgirls (1-6) will get a full two weeks to recover after tonight’s game before playing again against Louisiana-Monroe on Dec. 14. Today’s game against NAU tips off at 7 p.m. inside the Legacy Center.

“I just want to get to the break where we can get healthy and get some practice time in,” said McNeese second-year head coach Lynn Kennedy. “I think we will get back to playing better after that.”

The Cowgirls open Southland Conference play on New Year’s Eve at Lamar.

“That is what we are building for now,” Kennedy said.

McNeese hopes to start resetting its season against the Stallions. This after a poor start Tuesday night cost the Cowgirls any chance against Arkansas State.

McNeese gave up a season-worst 42 points in the first quarter during a 102-83 loss to the Red Wolves. After the first quarter McNeese outscored its visitors.

“We can’t come out and start a game like that,” Kennedy said. “I was happy with the way we played after, especially in the second and third quarters.”

But by then the outcome was decided.

“We still have a lot of learning to do with this team,” Kennedy said. “We have to find a rotation. We have a long way to go.”

While the defense was lacking the Cowgirls did find some offense Tuesday. The 83 points was the most they have totaled since the season opener against Ecclesia College when they scored 110.

Paris Mullins, who leads the Cowgirls in scoring at 15.3 a game despite playing a little more than 18 minutes an outing, had 20 against A-State. It was her first game back since missing four straight.

Sophomore Kaili Chamberlin (11.1 ppg) is the only other Cowgirl averaging double digits.

Where Kennedy said he wants to see improvement is on defense and handling the basketball. Without point guard Christian Gil, who has been out with a calf injury since the opener, McNeese has turned the ball over an average of 19.7 times a game.

“I want to see us come out and play hard from the start, especially on defense,” Kennedy said. “And we have to take care of the ball.”

That would go a long way in winning this game before their break.