March 12, 2009

KATY, Texas - As 10:10 a.m. came creeping, the Nicholls State Colonels loaded their equipment, iPods in ears and set off to the Merrell Center for their first round game against the Texas State Bobcats.

A quiet 15-minute bus ride was met by nothing but the sounds of music coming from ear phones.

Upon the team's arrival, they walked into they calmly walked into the locker-room and begin getting dressed for battle.

Eight minutes before game time, they take the tunnel where senior guard Justin Payne offers words of encouragement.

"This is it," he shouts. "This is what we came here for. Let's go."

After pumping fists with his teammates, leads his team onto the floor.

They feel the applause of the Colonel faithful in attendance, then line up or the national anthem followed by a trip to the bench for their final pregame pep talk from head coach J.P. Piper.

After the announcement of the starting lineups, they shake hands with their opponents, and then begin their journey into the second round of the tournament.

Two hours later, they were celebrating an 80-75 victory.

After their post game speech from Piper, the team took in the first seven minutes of the game between Texas-San Antonio and Sam Houston State, and then headed to the bus.

The ride back to the hotel wasn't as quiet as the ride there was, with the win setting in.

"It feels good to pull into the hotel as the winning team," trainer Jeff Smith said. "A much better bus ride."

After off loading their equipment, the team returned to their rooms, had their post-game meal - Quizno's - and spent the night relaxing in their rooms.

The team was reminded that tomorrow the team will eat breakfast then have their pregame meal at 2 p.m. and arrive at the arena around 4:30 p.m.