Cowboys Win a Defensive Battle

McNeese held the powerful Southeastern Louisiana offense to just 176 total yards as the Pokes beat SLU 13-3 Saturday evening in Cowboy stadium. The win moved the Cowboys record to 7-2 overall, and 5-2 in the Southland Conference. Southeastern fell to 5-5 and 5-3.

The Lions led at the half 3-0 on a 22 yard Dillon Burkhard field goal. The Cowboys tied it early in the third quarter on a Gunnar Raborn 37 yarder and took the lead with 4:42 left in the third on Raborn's 30 yard FG to make it 6-3. The 2 teams slugged it out till the Cowboys took over at the Lions 43 with 4:36 left. On the first play of the possession, David Hamm broke free to score the game's only touchdown to seal the win for McNeese.

Hamm led the Pokes in rushing with 80 yards on 17 carries. QB Jame Tabary completed 17 passes on 33 attempts for 195 yards. Kent Shelby and LaWayne Ross caught 5 passes each. McNeese finished with 284 total yards. But it was the McNeese defense that kept this one close. SLU averaged 471 per game coming into the contest and could only pick up 176 against the Cowboy's defense. Dominique Hill led the defense with 13 total tackles and an interception. McNeese had 3 takeaways in the game.

The Cowboys will close out their home schedule next Saturday against Northwestern State.