Final Stats Box Score and Play-by-Play

HUNTSVILLE, Texas -   The Nicholls State Unviersity men's basketball team (7-7, 1-2 Southland Conference) were no match for the Southland Conference's defending regular season and tournament champions as the Sam Houston State Bearkats (10-9, 2-1 Southland) shot .540 (27-for-40) from the field and saw four double digit scoring performances.  Meanwhile, SHSU limited Nicholls to .290 (18-for-62) shooting from the field en route to handing Nicholls a 74-56 loss in Huntsville on Saturday.

Nicholls was a depleted suqad on Saturday as starting point guard Kenny Franklin Jr. managed just three minutes of playing time while battling a nagging ankle injury.  The Colonels were led by senior forward Anatoly Bose who came up just short in his quest for his 40th career 20-point game.  The Sydney, Austrailia native totaled 15 points, a team high, with 11 coming from the free throw line on 14 attempts.

The Bearkats took advantage of the Colonels' depleted team, opening the game with a 14-4 run over the first seven minutes of play.  Nicholls tried to chip away at the SHSU lead, rallying to within six as a three-pointer by senior guard Justin Ayers made it 24-18 with 4:12 left in the first half.  However, pushed the lead back to double digits and went into the lockerroom at halftime leading 35-25.

Sam Houston continued to pull away in the second half, leading by as many as 36 before the Colonels got on track in the second half.  Down 68-32 with 8:32 left, the Colonels closed the game with a 24-6 run, but it was too little too late as Sam Houston claimed the 74-56 win.

Nicholls will try to get back on track when the Colonels return to Thibodaux for their longest homestand of the season.  The Colonels will host a four-game homestand beginning with a Jan. 19 date against Central Arkansas.  Nicholls will host a Red-Out against Southeastern Lousiaiana on Jan. 22 before a Jan. 26 match up with McNeese State and a Jan. 29 game agaisnt Lamar.