THIBODAUX - The Nicholls State University women's basketball team (4-6) will look to put together their first three-game winning streak of the season when the Colonels head to Baton Rouge to take on the defending SWAC champion Southern Jaguars (3-6) on Tuesday night.

The Colonels are fresh off a 72-63 win over Georgia State on Saturday that gave Nicholls it's fourth victory of the season, equalling the total number of wins the Colonels had last season, and leaving Nicholls six victories shy of its first ten-win season since the 2001-02 Colonels went 11-16.

Standing in the Colonels' way is a Southern team that beat Nicholls 56-51 in Stopher Gym last year en route to winning the SWAC title and advancing to the NCAA Tournament.

This year, the Jaguars have again proven themselves to be a capable squad.  Southern has played a bevy of women's basketball power programs in their first nine games, picking up losses to No. 25 Iowa, South Alabama, Miami (FL), Lamar, Minnesota and Louisiana Tech.

However, Southern has still managed hard-fought victories over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and UL-Lafayette and the Jaguars enter Tuesday's contest with momentum after a 76-51 win over Division II Tougaloo snapped a four-game losing skid.

The Colonels will try to contain the Jaguars with one of the most aggressive defenses in the country.  Nicholls heads into the Southern game ranked 21st in the nation with a +5.9 turnover margin.  Meanwhile, Nicholls' average of 11.8 steals/game ranks 33rd in the nation.  Senior Ricshanda Bickham and freshman KK Babin lead the way, each tied for 75th in the nation with a 2.6 steal/game average.

Offensively, Babin begins the week ranked No. 34 in the nation, averaging 2.8 three pointers per game.  Babin leads a balanced Nicholls offensive attack that features three players averaging double digit point production.  Babin, a Gonzales, La. native, owns a 14.5 point/game average, followed by Bickham's 14.0 ppg mark and a 12.9 point/game average for the reigning Southland Conference Player of the Week, Alisha Allen.

Tipoff between the Colonels and Jaguars is set for 5:30 p.m. in Baton Rouge.  Following the contest, the Colonels will return to action by visiting the Tulane/DoubleTree Classic Dec. 28-29.