Nicholls evens conference record with comeback victory over Lamar, 76-69

THIBODAUX, La. — Less than four days removed from a tight three-point loss against Sam Houston State, the Nicholls State University men’s basketball program (3-5, 1-1 SLC) showcased a staunch resilienc.

The Colonels erased a 15-point first half deficit en route to their first Southland victory of the season, downing Lamar (2-9, 0-2 SLC) in come-from-behind fashion Wednesday evening at Stopher Gym, 76-69.

In a complete reverse from Saturday’s loss to the Bearkats, the Red & Gray sparked late in the first half and carried that momentum through to the game’s conclusion, trailing by as much as 15 (at 12:04 & 11:33 in the first half) before the offense found its footing. Initially, redshirt senior Andre Jones took control, scoring consecutive buckets — including an electric dunk — around the seven-minute mark to cut the Cardinal lead to as low as two; redshirt juniors Najee Garvin and Ty Gordon took over in the second half, though, as the former racked up 15 of his career-tying 19 points during the period while the latter drilled a trio of three-pointers after going 0-for-4 from long range before the break.

KEY STORYLINES & STATISTICS
— For the game, Nicholls finished shooting 49.2 percent (32-of-65) from the floor, 27.3 percent (6-of-22) beyond the arc and 42.9 percent (6-of-14) at the free throw line.
— The game proved a tale of two halves for the Red & Gray, as the team shot a dismal 37.1 percent (13-of-35) from the field, along with just 8.3 percent (1-of-12) from long range, in the opening period before finishing the game 19-of-30 (63.3 percent) from the floor and 5-of-10 (50.0 percent) at the three-point line.
— Garvin, who tied a career-best with 19 points, continues his immunity to double-doubles, as the South Carolina native has now come within two rebounds on three separate occasions of earning the accolade. For the night, the redshirt junior pulled down eight boards along with one steal.
— Similarly, Jones finished just one board short of a double-double himself, racking up 13 points and nine rebounds across his 36 minutes of play. Gordon rounded out the team’s double-digit scorer’s with 13 points of his own, dishing out three assists along the way.
— Notably, freshman Pierce Spencer posted an elite performance coming off the bench, also nearly picking up the program’s first double-double of the year behind a nine-point/10-rebound showing, both career highs for the Texan.

UP NEXT
With the first Southland Conference victory out of the way, the Colonels shift focus to their final game of the opening home stretch, hosting Southeastern Louisiana as part of a doubleheader with women’s basketball on Saturday, Jan. 9 at Stopher Gym.

STAY SOCIAL
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