THIBODAUX - One game out of the final Southland Conference Tournament sport with just four regular season games left, the Nicholls State University women's basketball team (8-18, 3-9 Southland Conference) will look to get back into the tournament picture on Wednesday with an upset of Southland East Division rival Central Arkansas (15-10, 7-5 Southland Conference).  Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. in Stopher Gym.

The week begins with the Colonels tied for tenth place in the league standings with in-state rival Southeastern Louisiana.  Both schools own 3-9 league records and are 1.0 game behind Texas State and Texas-Arlington, who are tied for the eighth and final Southland Conference Tournament berth.

A win over the Bears on Saturday would go a long way toward helping the Colonels solidify their place in the tournament race.  UCA begins the week tied for fifth in the conference standings.  The Bears are led by a high-powered offense that ranks second in the Southland Conference and 47th nationally with a 71.5 point/game average.  UCA boasts the top scoring threat in the league in the form of Megan Hebert, who leads the conference and ranks 47th nationally with a 17.6 point/game average. 

The Bears also have one of the strongest defenses in the league, ranking second in the league in scoring defense by limiting opponents to 61.6 points/game.

However, the Colonels will look to answer with a lineup that boasts three starters averaging double digit scoring.  Senior point guard Ricshanda Bickham leads the way with a 14.4 point/game average.  Bickham, a New Orleans native, has averaged 16.7 points/game over her first 52 career games after transferring to Nicholls prior to the start of the 2009-10 season.  With 867 career points, Bickham needs just 15 more points to pass Donna Gaspard for 17th on the school's career scoring list.

Bickham is joined by a pair of fellow double digit scorers in the form of freshman guard KK Babin who boasts a 13.2 point/game average and a 2.6 three point FG/game average that ranks 42nd in the nation.  Sophomore forward Alisha Allen provides an interior presence, averaging 11.4 points and a team-best 5.5 rebounds per night.

Tipoff against the Bears is set for 6:30 p.m. in Stopher Gym.  Following the contest, the Colonels will hit the road to take on McNeese State on Saturday and Northwestern State on Wednesday, March 2.  The Colonels will return to Nicholls on March 5 for the 2010-11 regular season finale against Southeastern Louisiana.