Streaks alive.

Using two big scoring spurts, the Cowboys extended the nation’s longest winning streak to 14 games Monday night inside the Legacy Center.

McNeese State used a 15-0 run in the first half and a 16-1 spurt in the second to blow by Northwestern State, 89-65 in front of 4,058.

The victory improved the Cowboys’ best start in program history to 19-2, 8-0 in the Southland Conference. The 14 straight wins also match the longest one-season streak in McNeese history.

The Cowboys won 19 in a row over two seasons (1955-56 and 1956-57). Northwestern State fell to 5-16, 3-5, dropping their third straight game. McNeese has not lost a game since the day before Thanksgiving.

“It was a good win,” said McNeese head coach Will Wade. “We didn’t get off to a good start. We weren’t as prepared as we should be.”

The Demons scored the game’s first eight points before the Cowboys got rolling.

“We need to come out and step on people’s throats at the start,” said guard DJ Richards. “We know what we are supposed to do. It is easy to get comfortable.”

Christian Shumate led the Cowboys with 15 points and eight rebounds while Shahada Wells added 13 points, two boards, five assists, and five steals. Included in Wells’ night was the fact he scored his 1,000th career point.

“I’m proud of Shahada he has earned it,” said Wade. “He’s done it in three years.”

McNeese forced 26 turnovers, scoring 36 points off those as the Demons struggled without their point guard Braelon Bush, who started his college career at McNeese.

“This is fool’s gold,” said Wade. “We take that effort on the road Saturday and kiss that winning streak goodbye.”

The Cowboys also got 14 points from Richards and 12 from Antavion Collum. Eleven of the 12 McNeese players scored in the game.

Chris Mubiru led the Demons with 17.

McNeese used its 16-1 run in the second half to lead 61-41 with 9:50 remaining. Shumate led the charge with six points, including a high-flying dunk off a pass from Mike Saunders to end the spurt. It was his only ShuSlam of the game.

The Cowboys fell behind early as the Demons scored the first eight points before Wells and Collum got the Cowboys going.

Then, McNeese hit NW State with a 15-0 run over the 6:15 stretch midway through the opening half to grab control, 25-15. Richards scored on two different three-point plays during the run.

The first was on a jumper to give McNeese its first lead of the night, 17-15 and the second came to end the spurt on a traditional three-point play.

McNeese forced 12 turnovers in the opening half and scored 12 points off those to lead 36-26 at the break.

McNeese will be back on the road Saturday when they travel to Hammond to take on preseason favorite Southeastern for the second time this season. The Cowboys won the opener in Lake Charles 74-65 in Lake Charles.

They will return home the following Monday for a second showdown with Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. McNeese rallied to win the first game in Commerce 73-67 in the conference opener in Texas.