Box Score
PINEVILLE, LA - There have been few individual performances any better than what the 633 fans at Louisiana College's H.O. West Fieldhouse got to see Thursday night from Neka Jones.
 
The junior from Oakdale put on a 3-point shooting clinic, and in so doing, rescued the Wildcats from a horrid start in their 90-84 win over a determined Mary Hardin-Baylor team.
 
Jones hit a new school record 9 3-pointers on the night, including 7 in the second half alone, on the way to a game-high 33 points. Her 9 3s (9-for-15) broke the previous school record of 8 set by Debra Johnson against Southern Arkansas all the way back on Nov. 17, 1987.
 
"Neka saved us tonight," LC coach Jason Tinsley said. "It was a two-fold purpose. We got the win because she broke the record, because if she doesn't break the record, we don't get the win."
 
Tinsley was referring to the fact the Wildcats (5-1) had to overcome a first half in which they shot just 23-percent as a team and a lowly 14-percent (4-for-27) from 3-point territory. It left the Cru with a 44-28 lead at the break.
 
"At halftime, we knew we weren't giving our best," Jones said. "We weren't doing what the Lady Wildcats are supposed to do."
 
But that all changed in the second half. Boosted by a pep talk from junior Kaci Willis under their own goal just before the half began, the Wildcats came out as a completely different team – forcing six turnovers and using a 21-3 run to take a 49-44 lead barely five minutes in. The run fueled in part by junior Karylon Thornton who scored 10 of her 12 points in that five minute stretch and freshman Baylie Butler who hit two big 3-point shots.
 
The Wildcats' lead would grow to as much as 13 points when Jones and freshman Natosha Morvant (10 points, 10 rebounds) hit consecutive 3s to put the Wildcats up, 62-49 with 13:14 to play. But, the Cru has another big run in them. Over the next eight minutes, UMHB out-scored LC 19-5 to regain the lead, 68-67, with 5:37 to play.
 
When Jones hit another 3 and an inside jumpshot with 4:45, the Wildcats led again, 72-68, but the Cru closed the final minutes of the game by holding LC to just one more basket and forcing overtime after neither team scored in the final 2:48.
 
As overtime began, the Cru took the lead on a quick basket by Destini Oakman, but that's when Jones took over. Already with 6 3s in the game, Jones hit three straight to give the Wildcats the lead for good, 84-77. The third 3-pointer proved the record breaker.
 
"It meant a lot," Jones said of the record. "It means I've grown as a player. I owe a lot to the upperclassmen who came before me because they pushed me to become a more mature player."
 
"Neka is a 3-point specialist, that's what she does," Tinsley said. "I'm a little surprised because that's a heck-of-a record to break, but then again, I'm not because that's what she's good at." 
 
Jones' 9 3s paced a much-improved second half for the Wildcats that also saw them score 47 points off turnovers.
 
It came after a first half that saw the Lady Wildcats out-played in virtually every phase of the game. After a Jones basket gave LC an 11-8 lead five minutes in, the Cru took total control. Using a 14-3 run over the next five minutes, Mary Hardin-Baylor took a 22-14 lead on a pair of free throws from Alyssa Dean who had 8 points in the first half and finished with 12 for the game.
 
LC would answer with a 3-point shot from Jones and a basket by Shelby Stewart to get back to within three, but using a combination of rebounds, forced turnovers and strong transition, the Cru closed the half with a 22-9 advantage. The Cru's Taylor Tucker scored 11 of her 15 points for the half in the final nine minutes as Mary Hardin-Baylor led 44-28 at the break.  Tucker finished with a team-high 21 – part of the reason why Tinsley said he had given her his vote for ASC preseason player-of-the-year.
 
Shooting was a major struggle for LC in the first half.  The Cru shot 16-of-25 (64-percent) to LC's 10-for-43 (23-percent). UMHB also dominated in the paint with a 24-8 advantage. Making matters worse for LC junior center Danisha Allison suffered a leg injury following a rebound basket with just over a minute left in the half that cost her the rest of the game. Tinsley said he had no update after the game on her status.
 
The Wildcats will have a little time to recover. Their next game is not until Dec. 30 when they play a non-conference game in Shreveport against Centenary. LC's next ASC action won't come until Jan. 2 when they travel to UT-Dallas.
 
"I was proud of our ability to battle back," Tinsley said. "Last year, we had five games decided by five points or less and we only won one of them.  I'm proud of the fact we've been able to win close games this year. But, it's probably not good for my heart."