Looking to find some momentum after their first league win of the season, the Cowgirls head back on the road to Houston Thursday night.

Still not entirely healthy, McNeese State’s women’s basketball team will take on Houston Christian in an attempt to even their Southland Conference record. 

After defeating East Texas A&M last Saturday, the Cowgirls (6-8, 1-2) are still trying to find their rhythm as they rebound from last season. A win against the Huskies would give them more victories than they picked up all of last year.

“We are not thinking about that; we have bigger goals,” said McNeese head coach Lynn Kennedy. “I like where we are headed and how we continue to improve.”

The Cowgirls used a big second half to rally for their win last Saturday, getting a double-double from Paris Guillory, who had 17 points and 10 rebounds. Kiayra Ellis and Tyrielle Williams also finished in double figures. Ellis matched Guillory with 17 points, while Williams added 11 and six assists.

All three are transfers new to the roster this season. 

“We are starting to believe in each other; you can see that on the court,” said Kennedy. “You can see the difference in our team from last week. The intensity is better.

“We now have to keep building on that.”

Guillory, who missed the first nine games of the season with a leg injury, is second in scoring in just conference games. She is averaging 18.7 points in McNeese’s three league contests and 16.6 overall.

That puts her less than a point behind Tanita Swift of Nicholls, who Guillory and the Cowgirls will host Saturday in the Legacy Center. 

“Paris is starting to find her game,” Kennedy said. “She is very intense and somebody we can go to in big moments. And some of the others are playing better with her as they play more together.”

Kiayra Ellis and Tyrielle Williams had big games against ETAM.

“I think they are finding their roles better as well,” said Kennedy. “Somebody has to give us that spark of energy that we need. I think they can both do that.”

McNeese should be able to use its defense against HCU (4-9, 1-3). The Huskies are the lowest-scoring team in the conference, averaging just 48 points a game. 

The Cowgirls will be down four key players with Kyla Davis, the team’s top 3-point shooter with 18 makes, out with a concussion. 

After Thursday the Cowgirls will play three straight games at home, where they are 4-2 on the season. 

“We just have to keep playing better at home, especially if we want to do anything in the tournament,” Kennedy said. 

The top eight teams in the regular season will advance to the Southland Conference postseason tournament, with the winner advancing to the NCAA regional.