McNeese takes an 85-74 Southland Conference victory over Northwestern State

Jan. 23, 2008

Diego Kapelan and Jarvis Bradley combined for 39 points to lead McNeese State to an 85-74 Southland Conference basketball victory over Northwestern State here Wednesday.

Kapelan came off the bench to score a game high 21 points and Bradley added 18 points, notching his fourth double double of the season as he also had 10 rebounds.

The Cowboys led throughout the game, rolling up a 15-4 lead only five and a half minutes deep into the game and taking a 51-32 halftime lead. The Demons, who were led by Trey Gilder's 20 points, came back in the second half and narrowed the margin to 10 points but couldn't come any closer.

The victory snapped a two game losing streak for McNeese which had scored only 39 points in its last outing. The Cowboys are now 8-8 overall and 2-2 in league play. Northwestern, which had come into the game as the SLC's eastern division leader, is now 3-2 in league play and 7-12 overall.

The game was played in the Lake Charles Civic Center where McNeese's record moves to 146-42 with the win. All other home games are played in Burton Coliseum.

"I'm real proud of our players," McNeese coach Dave Simmons said. "Our backs were against the wall coming into this game and our players came to play. We had a very good night shooting the ball in the first half."

The Cowboys made 64.3 percent of their shots in the first half led by a four for five effort from Kapelan. They cooled off in the second half but had enough umph in the final minutes of play.

Also scoring in double figures for the Cowboys were Rorey Lawence with 12 points and John Ford with 12. John Pichon had nine points and he also had 10 rebounds along with a game high seven assists.

Michael McConathy scored 13 points for the Demons while Devin White and Damon Jones had 11 each.

McNeese held a 45-22 edge in the rebound column, the Cowboys claiming 35 defensive boards.

Also for the Cowboys, Aldryan Wardell came off the bench for four ponts and six rebounds

The Cowboys now take to the road for three games before returning for a home outing with Nicholls State on Feb. 9.