Colonels clinch postseason berth with 72-53 win at McNeese

LAKE CHARLES, La. – The Nicholls State University women’s basketball team used a dominating second half at McNeese to win its seventh consecutive game and secure a spot in the 2020 Hercules Tires Southland Conference Tournament, defeating the Cowgirls 72-53 Wednesday night in H&HP Arena.

Nicholls (13-16, 10-10 SLC) overcame a slim two-point deficit at the break by outscoring the Cowgirls, 24-10, in the final quarter. The win over McNeese (5-23, 2-17 SLC) was third straight in Lake Charles for the Colonels and it extended their winning streak on the season to seven games, matching the program record set in 2014-15 and 2017-18 campaigns.

Senior Chrystal Ezechukwu turned in another strong effort against the Cowgirls, following up her 35-point outing in the earlier win with 21 points and nine rebounds. She was one of four Colonels in double figures, joined by Airi Hamilton, who had 14 to go along with nine boards and five assists, Loan-Anh Johnson (13 points), and Kacie Fountain with a career-high 12. Fountain was big off the bench, hitting back-to-back 3-pointers early in the fourth and totaled six rebounds, four steals and two blocks.

Nicholls was limited to 40-percent shooting, but once again, took advantage at the free throw line by hitting 25 of 29. After the Colonels carried a 48-43 lead into the fourth quarter, they went a perfect 12-for-12 from the charity stripe.

The Red and Gray jumped out to a 2-0 lead on a Hamilton jumper, but went cold as McNeese scored the next nine points. Nicholls answered as Johnson scored inside for a 12-11 lead, but the Cowgirls ended the quarter up 17-14.

In the second, McNeese led for most of the quarter and went into the break with a 30-28 advantage. Regan Bolton canned a 3-pointer for the Cowgirls for a six-point lead before Johnson scored layups to close out the half.

Midway through the third with the game tied at 37, Fountain gave Nicholls the lead on a putback off a Johnson miss. Nicholls led by as much as six in the quarter before pulling away in the fourth.

Leading 48-43, Fountain hit a 3-pointer to start the fourth and then followed with another for an 11-point lead. Things continued in the Colonels’ favor as McNeese scored just three points through the first six minutes of the quarter, resulting in a 62-46 lead for the Red and Gray.

McNeese was able to trim the deficit to 11 but never to single digits.

UP NEXT
With the Colonels finished for the regular season, Nicholls will find out its opponent in the Southland Tournament following Saturday’s slate of games. The first game will be on Thursday, March 12 at either 11 a.m. or 1:30 p.m.

STAY SOCIAL
For more information on Colonel Softball, follow the team on Twitter (@Nicholls_WBB).