Box Score and Play-by-Play

HAMMOND - The Nicholls State University women's basketball (6-12, 1-4 Southland Conference) scored 24 points off of  26 turnovers and got double-digit scoring output from four different players as the Colonels picked up their first Southland Conference road win in four years with a 62-50 victory at the home of their nearest in-state and conference rival, Southeastern Louisiana on Saturday.

The victory snapped a six-game losing overall losing streak, an 11-game conference skid, and a 32-game road conference losing streak.  Nicholls won for the first time since a Dec. 21 victory at Southern, its first Southland win since a win at home over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Feb. 6, 2010, and its first conference road win since a win at Sam Houston State on Jan. 6, 2007.

The Colonel defense set the tone for the game, forcing 26 turnovers by the Lions while committing just 10 of their own.  Southeastern's giveaways (11 of which came by way of Nicholls' steals) turned into 24 points on the offensive end for the Colonels.  Junior guard Sumar Leslie and sophomore guard Portia Washington each produced three steals to lead the way on the defensive end.

Freshman guard KK Babin and freshman forward LiAnn McCarthy led the way for the Colonels, piling up 15 points each.  Senior guard Ricshanda Bickham added 14 and sophomore forward Alisha Allen added ten to give the Colonels four double digit scorers on the afternoon.

In a game that featured five tie scores and four lead changes, Nicholls took a 32-25 lead into halftime, but would the Colonels had to fend off a charge from the Lions in the second half.  Nicholls would not take the lead for good until embarking on a 22-8 run over the final 11:16 to erase a 42-40 Southeastern lead.

Southeastern managed to pull to within one twice more down the stretch, but after the Colonels' lead dwindled to 48-47 with 4:55 remaining, Allen scored on consecutive possessions and Leslie added a layup to put Nicholls up 54-47 with 3:03 left.  Allen added two more bucked in the final 1:30 and McCarthy nailed a pair of free throws with 37 seconds remaining to put the win on ice.

The Colonels will return to action on Wednesday when they host the McNeese State Cowgirls in the first game of a women's and men's double header.  Tipoff of the women's game is set for 5 p.m. and will be followed by the men's game at 7 p.m.