Special to the American Press

HOUSTON — Timia Johnson scored a game-high 19 points and Houston Baptist avenged a five-day old loss with a 61-45 Southland Conference victory on Saturday.

N’Denasija added 17 points and eight rebounds while Kennedy Wilson scored 11 points for the Huskies (9-8, 5-5 SLC), who lost 73-55 to the Cowgirls on Monday in Lake Charles. Marilyn Nzoiwu came off the bench to grab a game-high 13 rebounds. HBU battered the Cowgirls on boards with a 50-31 advantage leading to 30 points in the paint and 13 second-change points.

The Huskies, who won their second consecutive game, also beat the Cowgirls in transition with 17 fast-break points.

Junior Divine Tanks was the lone double-digit scorer for the Cowgirls (6-12, 6-5), who were playing the first of a three-game road swing. Tanks had six rebounds, as did Kyla Hamilton. Lizzy Ratcliff grabbed a team-high seven rebounds.

HBU led 24-20 at the half but broke the game open in the third quarter. After a couple free throws from Jefferson, Enya Maguire put up a fast-break jump shot off from a Jefferson steal. Jefferson chipped in a second-chance layup, prompting a Cowgirls timeout, with HBU up by 10.

McNeese shot 28 percent from the field, including 3 of 15 from behind the 3-point arc. HBU was slightly better at 31.1 percent from the field and 3 of 17 from 3-point range.

The Cowgirls, who have lost two straight and three of their last four games and are assured of a fifth consecutive losing season, will wrap up their regular season with three games this week, beginning Monday at Central Arkansas, Wednesday at Nicholls State and returning home Saturday to meet Lamar in the finale.McNeese athletics

McNeese State University