Nicholls outlasts HBU, 91-83, in home stand finale

THIBODAUX, La. — Riding an exceptionally balanced offensive attack, the Nicholls State University men’s basketball program (13-7, 7-2 Southland) carved out yet-another conference victory as the team continues pursuit of the regular season title, powering past HBU (1-15, 1-6 Southland) by a 91-83 margin Wednesday evening at Stopher Gym.

Sophomore transfer Lorenzo McGhee composed his best-ever performance against a Division I opponent, racking up a team-high 20 points — including a 3-of-4 showing from beyond the arc — as well as four rebounds a squad-best two steals.

Meanwhile, four other Colonels — sophomore Warith Alatishe (16), seniors Dexter McClanahan (14) and Elvis Harvey Jr. (14) and junior Kevin Johnson (12) — shared the offensive workload throughout the contest, pushing their way into double-digit scoring. Notably, Alatishe combined his 16 points with 11 rebounds for his sixth double-double of the season, good for third-best in the Southland behind Lamar’s Avery Sullivan (8) and McNeese’s Sha’markus Kennedy (7).

KEY STORYLINES & STATISTICS
— For the game, Nicholls finished shooting 50.0 percent (33-of-66) overall, 30.4 percent (7-of-23) from long range and 81.8 percent (18-of-22) at the free throw line.
— The Red & Gray put together two relatively consistent halves of basketball, shooting an even 50.0 percent from the floor in each and only seeing a point-spread of just four (43 in the first half, 47 in the second). Throughout the 2019-20 campaign, Nicholls has witnessed scoring differences as large as 26 (vs. UIW) and 19 (vs. UCA) with a majority of contests seeing night and day performances across the opening period and final 20 minutes.
— For Johnson, tonight’s 12 points serves as the junior’s fifth double-digit showing since returning from the holiday break (seven games), showcasing his increased role as a scoring contributor. Oppositely, McGhee exploded for the second-best performance of his career (31 points vs. Campbellsville-Harrodsburg) as he nearly doubled his point-total from his previous six outings combined (12).

UP NEXT
With the three-game home stand concluded, the Red & Gray turn their attention back to the road, saddling up for a trio of contests over the next two weeks at New Orleans (Jan. 25), McNeese (Jan. 29) and Stephen F. Austin (Feb. 5).

STAY SOCIAL
For more information on Colonels Men’s Basketball, follow the team on Twitter (@Nicholls_MBB), Instagram (@geauxcolonels) and like their Facebook page (Nicholls Athletics).