Colonels to Honor 1979-80 NCAA Second Round Team at Halftime Against Texas State

Colonels to Honor 1979-80 NCAA Second Round Team at Halftime Against Texas State

Feb. 19, 2010

THIBODAUX - The Nicholls State University men's basketball team (7-17, 3-8 Southland Conference) will try to snap a five-game losing streak and climb back into the Southland Conference Tournament picture when the Colonels open a two-game homestand by welcoming Texas State (12-13, 6-5 Southland) to Stopher Gym on Saturday.

The Colonels will also welcome back the 1979-80 Nicholls State men's basketball team to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Colonels' NCAA Tournament DII Tournament appearance. In their final season as a DII program, the Colonels not only earned a berth in the national tournament, but was one of the final 32 teams remaining after advancing to the second round. Members of the 1979-80 team will be honored with a halftime ceremony.

Meanwhile, the current incarnation of Colonel basketball head into Saturday looking to get back on the winning track. Nicholls has lost its last five contests and heads into the final three weeks of the season 2.0 games out of the eighth and final Southland Conferene Tournament spot.

With three of their final five games slated to take place at home in Stopher Gym, the Colonels still have a chance to make up ground. However, Nicholls will have little margin for error against the Bobcats, Central Arkansas (Feb. 24), McNeese State (in Lake Charles on Feb. 27), Texas-Arlington (in Arlington on March 3) and Lamar (March 6).

First up for the Colonels is Texas State. The Bobcats are led by Cameron Johnson, who ranks eighth in the conference with a 14.1 point/game average. Johnson also ranks among the league's leaders with an 8.0 rebound/game mark that ranks fifth in the Southland.

The Bobcats have lost three of their last five contests. However, Texas State is coming off a win over Lamar on Feb. 13 and enter the weekend tied for the fourth seed in the Southland Conference Tournament standings.

Nicholls will answer with junior guard/forward Anatoly Bose and sophomore guard/forward Fred Hunter. Bose enters the contest second in the conference, and 21st nationally, with a 20.scoring average. Meanwhile, Hunter enters the contest seventh in the Southland with a 14.4 point/game average. The Denton, Texas native came on strong last week, averaging 24.5 points/game in two contests last week.

Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. at Stopher Gym. The game will be broadcast in the New Orleans-Houma-Thibodaux area on KLRZ FM 100.3 and KLEB 1600 AM. ThibodauxOnline.com will offer a free streaming video webcast of the game.