LAKE CHARLES, La. (Interstat) — A surging McNeese State squad will look to continue its dominant run through the Southland Conference when it hosts struggling Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in a women’s basketball matchup Saturday at Burton Coliseum. The Cowgirls (23-4, 13-1 Southland) enter on a 10-game winning streak and sit atop the conference standings. Their lone league loss came on Jan. 8. McNeese State boasts one of the nation’s top defenses, allowing just 52.9 points per game, which has fueled its remarkable season turnaround. Conversely, the Islanders (5-20, 3-11) have found wins scarce, though they snapped a seven-game skid with a 76-69 road victory at Southeastern Louisiana on Thursday. That win provided a rare bright spot in a challenging season. The teams met just over a month ago in Corpus Christi, with McNeese State securing a 59-42 victory on Jan. 15. The Cowgirls’ defense stifled the Islanders in that contest, a theme they will aim to repeat. A key matchup will feature two of the conference’s top guards. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi’s Chelsea Wooten is coming off a career-high 32-point, six-assist performance in the win over Southeastern Louisiana. Over her last five games, she is averaging 14.8 points. McNeese State counters with dynamic guard Tyreona Sibley, who scored 26 points in Thursday’s 60-53 win over Texas-Rio Grande Valley. In her last five outings, Sibley is averaging 12.2 points and has been a consistent catalyst for the conference leaders. The Islanders will need another explosive performance from Wooten and supplemental scoring from players like K’Nari Holliday and Torie Sevier to challenge the stout Cowgirl defense. McNeese State, which has won its conference home games by an average of 28.9 points, will rely on its balanced attack and defensive intensity to protect its home court and maintain its position in the standings. Tipoff is set for Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, in Lake Charles.