WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: No. 3 Sam Houston defeats Colonels in SLC quarterfinals

KATY, Texas – In what was just a five-point game late in the third quarter, the Nicholls State University women’s basketball team ran out of gas as No. 3 seed Sam Houston eliminated the Colonels from the Southland Conference Tournament in an 89-59 contest Friday afternoon in the Merrell Center.

With the loss, Nicholls finishes its season with an overall record of 11-14. Sam Houston improved to 14-7 and will face No. 2 Southeastern Louisiana in the semifinals on Saturday.

Chelsea Cain recorded her ninth double-double of the season in the loss, totaling 16 points and 11 rebounds. She was one of four Colonels to score in double figures, joined by Bryanna Washington (12), Terris McKay (12) and Anna McKendree (10).

The first half featured 10 lead changes and seven ties as Sam Houston went into the intermission with a 38-37 advantage. The Bearkats then used a 12-0 run early in the third to take control, but Nicholls answered with a 6-0 spurt that forced a Sam Houston timeout. McKay accounted for four of the points on a pair of layups, with the last making the count 56-51 at the 3:17 mark.

But it was all Sam Houston from then on. The Bearkats closed the quarter on an 11-0 run and then outscored the Colonels in the fourth, 22-8.

Southland Player of the Year Amber Leggett had a huge game for the Bearkats, scoring 36 points on 14 of 20 from the field and finished with nine rebounds.

Sam Houston shot 47 percent from the field and held Nicholls to 34 percent. Both teams struggled behind the arc as the Colonels went 0-for-15 and the Kats were 2 of 14.

SEASON NOTES
– Nicholls qualified for the Southland Conference Tournament for the 10th consecutive year, which is the second longest streak in the league.
– Thursday’s win over Abilene Christian was the sixth postseason win in school history – all under coach DoBee Plaisance.
– Despite playing a shortened schedule, Nicholls won at least 10 games for the 10th consecutive season.
– Sophomore Chelsea Cain was named All-Southland First Team, becoming just the third player in program history to make first team.

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