THIBODAUX - The Nicholls State University men's basketball team (13-12, 7-7 Southland Conference) hope that a strong showing on Senior Night will help the Colonels strengthen their chances for their third consecutive Southland Conference Tournament appearance as Nicholls hosts Northwestern State (17-12, 9-5 Southland Conference) in the final home game of the season.  Tipoff for the 2010-11 Stopher Gym finale is set for 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday marks the final home game for four Colonel seniors, including one of the most prolific scorers in school history.  Nicholls will be saying goodbye to senior guards Justin Ayers, Kellan Carter, Kenny Franklin Jr. and forward Anatoly Bose. 

Bose, the third highest scoring player in the history of the program, enters the game with a career total of 1,980 points, just 20 points shy of becoming the third player in school history to reach the 2,000 career point mark.  the Sydney, Australia native is averaging 21.9 points/game, the ninth-best total in the country this season.  Bose owns a school record 47career 20-point games, if he makes it 48 on Wednesday night to surpass the 2,000 career point mark in his final home game, he would join former Colonels Larry Wilson (2,569 points from 1975-79) and Reggie Jackson (2,124 points from 1992-95) as the only players in school history to reach the 2,000 career point mark.

The Colonels will be looking to even the season series with the Demons after Nicholls fell to Northwestern State by a final of 73-64 on Jan. 12.  Besides avenging the nine-point loss to Northwestern State, a win over the Demons would help the Colonels strengthen their chances for their third consecutive postseason appearance, which would tie a school record.

As the final week of the season begins, the Colonels find themselves in a four-way tie with Texas-San Antonio, Southeastern Louisiana and Texas-Arlignton for the sixth of eight conference tournament spots.  One game behind the logjam for the No. 6 seed is Lamar with a tenth-place record of 6-8.

Tipoff between the Colonels and Demons is set for 6:30 p.m. in Stopher Gym.  Following the contest, the Colonels will conclude the 2010-11 regular season with a visit to in-state rival Southeastern Louisiana on March 5. 

Nicholls will be looking for a season sweep of the Lions in the final contest of the regular season.  Tipoff between the Colonels and Lions is set for Noon and will be the Southland Conference Television Game of the Week. Fans should check their local listings for broadcast dates and times.

Both games can be heard in the New Orleans-Houma-Thibodaux area on the Colonel Sports Radio Network, including KLRZ 100.3 FM and KLEB 1600 AM.