Box Score and Play-by-Play

THIBODAUX - The Nicholls State University women's basketball team (2-5) battled back from an early 13-point deficit, rallying to tie the game late in the first half.  However, the Grambling Tigers (4-4) withstood the charge and expanded their lead in the second half en route to picking up their fourth consecutive win by a final of 61-44 in Stopher Gym on Saturday.

The Tigers opened the first half strong, going on a 13-0 run and hitting four three pointers over the first seven minutes to open the game.  The Colonels couldn't get on the board until a layup by Alisha Allen got Nicholls going at the 12:35 mark.  Down 13-2, it was time for Nicholls to make a run while the Grambling attack went cold.

The Colonels answered Grambling's big game-opening run by going on a 16-3 tear over the next six minutes to knot the game up at 16-16 with 6:13 left in the half.  However, that's as close as the Colonels would get.  Grambling battled back to take a 27-24 lead into the lockerroom at halftime.

The Tigers expanded their lead in the second half thanks to 19 points combined off the bench and a 56.5 percent shooting average as a team in the final frame.  Meanwhile, the Nicholls offense couldn't gain any traction throughout the course of the game en route to shooting a combined 23.6 percent (15-for-61) from the field.

Grambling's Kristen Harper led all scorers with 15 points, all of which came on 5-of-8 shooting from beyond the arc.  Secrett Anderson added 11 points for the Tigers.  Nicholls was led by freshman guard KK Babin who totaled 11 points and four steals on the night, both team highs.

After playing six games in the last 20 days (including a ten-day stretch that saw four games with two coming against national powers St. John's and LSU), the Colonels will get a full week off before returning to action on Dec. 13 at North Texas.  Nicholls will return home on Dec. 15 to host Bethune-Cookman.