Jan. 24, 2009

Box Score

THIBODAUX, La. - The Colonels completed the sweep over the Demons, improving to 10-8 overall and 3-2 in Southland Conference play Saturday evening, running their way to an 85-69 victory over Northwestern State in Stopher Gym.

Freshman Fred Hunter (Denton, Texas/Denton) paced Nicholls with 20 points and eight rebounds, including four on the offensive end. Senior Ryan Bathie (Melton, Australia/Mowbray) poured in 19, adding seven rebounds and a team-leading five assists.

Hunter and Bathie combined to go a perfect 14-for-14 from the free-throw line, part of the Colonels' 85.0% free-throw shooting (34-for-40) as a team.

"Normally we're not an outstanding free-throw shooting team, so tonight, to shoot 85% is huge in a critical game. We urged our guys to fight that fight and get to the rim to finish plays and they did a good job of coming through on that."

Sophomore Anatoly Bose (Sydney, Australia/Waverley) also reached double figures for Nicholls, adding 18 points on the night.

The Colonels outrebounded Northwestern State 38-31 thanks to 27 defensive boards.

Senior Justin Payne (Opelousas, La./Opelousas), sophomore Kellan Carter (Fresno, Calif./Edison) and freshman Chris Iles (Houston, Texas/Alief Hastings) all finished with eight points for the Colonels

Nicholls led through the opening 15 minutes, but the Demons caught up near the end of the first half. The two squads traded the lead back and forth courtesy of time at the charity stripe until the Colonels, thanks to four-straight freebies from junior Mike Czepil (Hoppers Crossing, Australia/Thomas Carr) and Bathie, prevailed, taking a 36-34 lead to the locker room.

After the break, the Colonels came out on fire, shooting 56.6% (13-of-23) in the second half and outscoring the Demons 49-35 through the closing minutes, including 19-for-21 (90.5%) from the line.

"We challenged our guys to be tougher about getting to the rim and making Northwestern [State] work harder defensively. I thought we stepped up and did a great job of that in the second half. We got to the free-line and go to the rim and finished plays. A couple of times it seemed like [the Demons] would get some momentum going and then we'd hit a big three and back them off."

A layup from the hands of Carter at the 13:28 mark broke a 46-46 stalemate and put the Colonels up for good. Carter led Nicholls with three steals, helping the Colonels to nine on the night.

The win marks the third straight over Northwestern State for Nicholls, who are winners of four of their last five versus the Demons.

The Colonels will take to the road for the next two games, traveling to McNeese State on Wednesday evening and to Southeastern Louisiana Saturday afternoon.

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