Jan. 27, 2010

Final Stats

THIBODAUX, La. - The Nicholls State University women's basketball team came back from a 10-point second half deficit to pull within one with under two minutes left, but fell 54-52 to McNeese State on Wednesday night in Stopher Gym.

The Colonels (3-15, 0-6 Southland) erased the Cowgirls (5-13, 1-4 Southland) double digit lead to pull within one - 52-51 - with 3:46 left, on back-to-back free throws by junior Ricshanda Bickham. However, McNeese State's Kiara Johnson scored a runner in the lane on the ensuing series to increase the lead to three, which proved to be enough to get the win.

"We fought and played hard enough to win despite a few mistakes," said Head Coach DoBee Plaisance. "I'm confident in our team that we will learn from this and move forward. As long as we keep playing with the effort and intensity we have been playing with, we will be fine."

McNeese State held a 25-21 lead at halftime, and continued to add to it in the second half as the club went up by as many as 10 - 47-37 - with under 10 minutes left in the game. From that moment on, Nicholls out-scored McNeese State 15-7, but could not get the victory.

Nicholls was led by Bickham in the loss with 17 points, while sophomore Chelsea McNamee was the only other Colonel in double figures with a career-high 12 points off the bench. Bickham also contributed a team best seven rebounds, followed by McNamee, junior Cassie Hearon, and true freshman Alisha Allen with six each.

The Cowgirls had two players score above the decade mark with Johnson leading the way with 16. As a team, McNeese State shot 41.8 percent (23-of-55) from field goal range, while also winning the rebounding edge, 40-to-37.

Nicholls will be back in action this Saturday at Southeastern La. with tip-off set for 3 p.m. at the University Center in Hammond.

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