Women’s Basketball: Colonels snap series skid against UCA, 64-60

CONWAY, Ark. – Senior Cassidy Barrios scored a game-high 25 points to lead a trio of Colonels in double figures as the Nicholls State University women’s basketball team picked up a hard-fought 64-60 victory over Central Arkansas Saturday afternoon in the Farris Center.

The win snapped a five-game losing streak against the Sugar Bears, which gave Nicholls (10-8, 4-2 SLC) its first win in Conway since the 2015 season. UCA dropped to 6-10 overall and 1-5 in the Southland.

Barrios took a total of 22 shots – 12 from the field and 10 at the free throw line – and missed just five times. She misfired on only four field goals and connected on nine free throws. As a team, the Colonels made 22 of 26 at the charity stripe, including a 10-for-10 showing in the third quarter.

Tykeria Williams finished with 12 points and was 3 of 4 from behind the arc, while Airi Hamilton scored nine of her 11 points in the second half. Chrystal Ezechukwu contributed with nine rebounds and a career-high four blocks.

Points were at a premium in the first half as the teams went into the locker room tied at 27. But in the third, UCA started with a 4-0 run and led the entire quarter. Barrios hit a runner right before the buzzer to make the count 42-41.

The turning point in the game was in the opening minute of the fourth. Freshman Adrian Mann picked up a steal and it led to a 3-pointer by Williams. On the play, Mann was fouled away from the ball and the Colonels got the ball back. Mann then snuck open on the wing and connected on another 3-ball for a 47-42 advantage.

The Colonel defense then went on to keep UCA off the board for over six minutes while Barrios added a jumper and a pair of free throws to cap a 10-0 run.

Nicholls’ lead stayed at two possessions until Antonija Bozic hit a 3-pointer with 1:11 on the clock. With the Colonels up 56-54, Hamilton quickly doubled the lead with a layup inside. UCA scored again with 40 seconds to go but was forced to foul the rest of the way. The Colonels made 6 of 8 free throws down the stretch to close it out, including one by Hamilton with 2 seconds remaining to make the final.

Nicholls finished at 42 percent from the field and made 4 of 7 3-pointers. UCA shot 39 percent for the game and struggled from 3-point range at 6 of 22.

UCA was led by Kamry Orr with 14 points, while Bozic and Taylor Sells added 13 each.

UP NEXT
Nicholls returns to Thibodaux for its final home game for nearly a month, hosting Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Wednesday, Jan. 23. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.

TICKET INFO
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