THIBODAUX, La.  – The Nicholls State University women's basketball team will make its final push towards a top-four finish in the Southland Conference as the Colonels host Lamar Thursday night at Stopher Gym in their next-to-last regular season game. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.

As always, tickets for the game can be purchased ahead of time at NichollsTickets.com or by calling 985-448-4790. The matchup will also be aired live on KNSU 91.5 FM and a video stream will be available on Colonels All-Access.

Although Nicholls (17-10, 9-7) is mathematically out of the Southland Conference regular season title race, the Colonels can still improve their seeding in the SLC Tournament, which is currently No. 5. With the new format, the top four teams will earn a bye in the first round, with the top two receiving an additional bye into the semifinals. If Nicholls wins out, it will finish in the top four, with the possibility of earning a 3-seed.

Not only does the matchup against Lamar (19-8, 11-5) have postseason implications for the Colonels, but the Lady Cardinals are one of four teams remaining that could earn a share of the regular season championship.  LU is currently in third and a game back of Sam Houston after dropping a 62-55 decision to second-place Oral Roberts on Saturday.

While the Colonels have held their own on the road - winning their seventh road game of the season Saturday at Corpus Christi - the 59-57 buzzer-beater loss at Lamar on Feb. 19 was the first of three consecutive games where Nicholls shot less than 40 percent from the field. However, Nicholls posts a 7-2 record at home in the 2012-13 campaign, shooting nearly 45 percent and scoring over 68 points per game.

Senior Alisha Allen, who will be suiting up in her final two games at Stopher, has led the Colonels in scoring all season (14.9 ppg). At home, she is averaging 17 points and 6.4 rebounds while shooting 52 percent from the field. KK Babin led Nicholls with 19 points in the last game, upping her average to an even 13 points.

Lamar is led by Kalis Loyd, who is fourth in the SLC in scoring at 17.7. In the meeting in Beamount, Loyd tallied a double-double with 24 points and 10 rebounds and connected on four 3-pointers.

While Loyd led the LU offense, Nicholls was held to just 19 field goals, its second lowest mark of the season.  Lamar leads the conference in both points allowed (54.8 ppg) and field goal percentage defense (.349).

After Thursday's matchup, Nicholls will close out the regular season on Saturday against McNeese State. Before the game, the Colonels' will honor their lone senior, Alisha Allen, who is the program's second leading all-time scorer at 1,526 career points. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m.