The Northwestern State women’s basketball team has multiple players who can score 20 in any given game, but with remarkable balance Saturday the Demons received scoring contributions from the entire team and stifled McNeese in an 80-56 blowout in a Southland Conference game Saturday afternoon at the Legacy Center.
Dynamic scorer Mya Blake led red-hot NSU (12-10 overall, 9-4 SLC) with a very modest 10 points while a dozen teammates found the scoring column. Eight tallied between 6-9 points while the defense held McNeese (8-16, 3-10) to just 33.3 percent shooting aim.
It was the fourth straight win for Northwestern, now alone in fourth place in the 12-team Southland. The Demons play at home twice this week — a Thursday night game against the SLC’s second-place team, Lamar, and a Saturday afternoon visit from third-place Stephen F. Austin.
“This was a complete team effort,” coach Anna Nimz said. “I am very happy that so many people got some minutes. It was exciting to see a couple kids hit some really big shots. I am excited to see bench kids come in the game and hit on the perimeter and actually outscore our starters. We’ve been talking about different firepower throughout the season. I am very proud of them and excited to be able to go home with two wins.”
Northwestern has won five straight in the McNeese series and has won back-to-back games in Lake Charles for the first time since 2007 and 2008.
While Blake scored 10 points under her league-leading average in Southland games, she made plays for her teammates, dishing out eight assists and securing four rebounds.
The Demons raced out to a 10-2 lead and rolled from there, jumping out to a 20-9 advantage after one quarter and 37-17 at halftime. The margin was never single digits after the first period.
Blake started off the scoring with a triple from the left wing as the visitors shot 50 percent from the field in the first quarter en route to a double digit lead after the first quarter.
Northwestern State’s lead never reached single digits in the final three quarters, as it outscored the Cowgirls 17-8 in the second quarter to open up a 37-17 lead at halftime.
Northwestern State held McNeese to 27.6 percent aim in the half to improve the lead.