Nicholls State University

Colonels Rout Bears to Stay in Conference Tournament Hunt

Feb. 24, 2010

THIBODAUX - Junior guard/forward Anatoly Bose scored a team-high 23 points and was one of four double-digit scorers for the Colonels, meanwhile the Nicholls defense forced 16 turnovers and recorded eight steals (four by junior guard Kellan Carter) as the Nicholls State University men's basketball team (9-17, 5-8 Southland Conference) lead the whole way against the Central Arkansas Bears (8-19, 2-11 Southland) en route to a 68-51 win in Stopher Gym on Wednesday.

The win avenges a 60-54 loss to the Bears in Conway, Ark. on Jan. 20, but, more importantly, helped strengthen the Colonels' Southland Conference Tournament chances.

Wednesday began with Lamar and Northwestern State (5-7 conference records) are each tied for the eighth and final tournament seed with the Colonels and McNeese State (4-7 leage records) 1.0 game behind them. Nicholls win, combined with Wednesday night losses by McNeese, Lamar and Northwestern State put the Colonels in a three-way tie for the final tournament berth.

Bose, who headed into tonight's contest ranked 20th nationally in scoring average, paced the Colonels with his 17th 20-point performance in 26 games this season. Bose was joined in double-figure scoring by freshman guard Justin Ayers (11 points), Carter (10 points) and sophomore guard Fred Hunter (10 points) to give Nicholls four players in double figures for the first time since Dec. 14, 2009 against the University of Mobile.

However, it was the Colonel defense that set the tone as Carter led the way with four of Nicholls eight steals. Nicholls generated 16 UCA turnovers and allowed just eight Bear assists to keep the Central Arkansas offense off balance.

The Colonels jumped out to an early lead as a 23-9 run to open the ballgame put Nicholls in the driver's seat to start the first half. The Bears rallied to within four by making it 29-25 with 2:24 left in the half, but the Colonels closed out the frame with a 7-3 run to take a 36-28 halftime lead.

Nicholls stepped on the gas at the start of the second half with an 18-3 run to take what would prove to be the Colonels' largest lead of the night. When Ayers swiped an errant UCA pass and laid it in off the fast break, Nicholls staked themselves to a 52-31 lead to claim a 23-point advantage with 13:01 left.

Mitch Reuter scored 12 for the Bears, and Tadre Sheppard added 10, but the Colonels outpaced the Bears the rest of the way for the 68-51 win.

Nicholls will return to action on Saturday when the Colonels visit McNeese State. The Colonels will look for a season sweep of the Cowboys after claiming the win in the first meeting between the two schools.