Cowgirls Seek Revenge Against Northwestern State

McNeese State looks to avenge earlier loss in key Southland Conference matchup

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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The McNeese State Cowgirls, riding a program-record 13-game winning streak, are set to take on the Northwestern State Lady Demons in a rematch of their December 15th contest. The Cowgirls are 20-4 overall and 14-1 in Southland Conference play, while the Lady Demons sit in fifth place at 11-11 and 8-6. McNeese is seeking to avenge its only conference loss of the season, a 65-58 defeat at the hands of Northwestern State back in December.

Why it matters

This game is a key matchup in the Southland Conference race, as the Cowgirls look to solidify their hold on first place and potentially clinch at least a share of the regular season title. The rematch also provides McNeese an opportunity to prove they have improved since the earlier loss and are a different team than the one that fell to Northwestern State in December.

The details

In the first meeting, the Lady Demons were led by sophomore Vernell Atamah, who scored 20 points and hit 3 of 6 three-pointers. Nya Valentine also had 19 points for Northwestern State, making 5 three-pointers. McNeese head coach Ayla Guzzardo said the Cowgirls gave the Lady Demons too many open shots and need to play better defense in the rematch. McNeese is second nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 51 points per game, and forces an average of 24.5 turnovers per contest.

  • The teams first met on December 15, 2025, with Northwestern State defeating McNeese State 65-58.
  • The rematch is scheduled for Thursday, February 13, 2026 in Natchitoches, Louisiana.

The players

Vernell Atamah

A sophomore who leads the Southland Conference in scoring at 18 points per game.

Nya Valentine

A junior who is 10th in the Southland in scoring at 12.5 points per game.

Kaili Chamberlin

A guard for the McNeese State Cowgirls who has shot 7-for-14 from three-point range over her last three games.

Arianna Patton

A player for the McNeese State Cowgirls who has scored 38 points and made 7-of-12 three-pointers in the team's last two games.

Ayla Guzzardo

The head coach of the McNeese State Cowgirls.

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What they’re saying

“We owe them one. We need to get back at them.”

— Kaili Chamberlin, Guard, McNeese State Cowgirls

“We gave them too many open shots last time. We have to close out and play better defense. They have a 3-headed sneak on offense. We have to be dialed in and get them out of their comfort zone.”

— Ayla Guzzardo, Head Coach, McNeese State Cowgirls

“We are finding multiple scorers in each game recently, and that makes us hard to defend. If we make layups, we can win games.”

— Ayla Guzzardo, Head Coach, McNeese State Cowgirls

What’s next

The winner of Thursday's game will take a big step towards clinching at least a share of the Southland Conference regular season title.

The takeaway

This rematch between the McNeese State Cowgirls and Northwestern State Lady Demons is a crucial game in the Southland Conference race. The Cowgirls are looking to avenge their only conference loss of the season and prove they are a different team than the one that fell to the Lady Demons in December.