Bile with 27, Northwestern St. weathers McNeese rally 84-79

Chudier Bile scored a season-high 27 points and grabbed nine rebounds as Northwestern State held off McNeese 84-79 on Saturday. Jairus Robinson scored 15, making 5 of 6 3-pointers for Northwestern State (12-12, 9-6 Southland Conference), and Larry Owens contributed 11 points in 19 minutes, adding two blocks and a steal. Myles Hutchinson scored 11 of his career-high 23 points in the final 1:29 as the Cowboys (12-13, 7-7) finished with a flurry — making six of their final seven shots, including all five from distance.

Trailing by 13 with two minutes to go, Hutchinson drained a 3 that pulled McNeese to 80-76 and Dru Kuxhousen also hit from distance, cutting the gap to 82-79 with eight seconds left. Trenton Massner made two free throws for the Demons and McNeese missed twice from beyond the arc as time expired. Kuxhausen finished with 18 points for McNeese, including four 3-pointers, Shamarkus Kennedy scored 16 and Roydell Brown 15 for the Cowboys. The Demons evened the season series against the Cowboys with the win. McNeese State defeated Northwestern State 85-76 on Jan. 11. Northwestern State matches up against Nicholls State at home on Wednesday. McNeese State takes on Incarnate Word on the road on Wednesday.