Final Stats Box Score

LAKE CHARLES, La.  – Senior KK Babin put together an impressive all-around performance with 14 points, nine assists and seven rebounds and Emani White scored 17 of her game-high 22 points in the second half as the Nicholls State University women's basketball team earned its second straight comeback victory by defeating McNeese State, 71-63, on Tuesday night at the Lake Charles Civic Center.

With the win, Nicholls improves to 9-9 on the year and 4-3 in Southland play. The victory over McNeese (11-7, 4-3) is the third for the Colonels in the last four meetings.

The Colonels shot a blistering 53 percent in the final 20 minutes to overcome a nine-point halftime deficit. Nicholls held McNeese to 35 percent shooting for the game and caused 21 turnovers, which led to 19 points for the Colonels.

Nicholls saw itself down 34-25 at the break as McNeese dominated the glass, 31-17, including 15 offensive rebounds. McNeese finished the game outrebounding Nicholls by 17, but the Colonels came up with big play after big play in the second half.

The Colonels went 0-for-9 from behind the 3-point line in the first half, but Jenny Nash, who led Nicholls with a career-high 11 rebounds while adding six points, quickly ended the drought after the break to bring the score to 35-30.

Down 39-32, Jasmine Scott, who had nine points and two blocks off the bench, hit Babin for a basket and the two connected again, this time Babin to Scott, to give Nicholls a 40-39 lead. But McNeese's Cecilia Okoye, who had 17 points and 19 rebounds, scored five straight points including two putbacks to give the Cowgirls the lead back at 44-40.

Nicholls answered with a 7-0 spurt, started on a 3-pointer from White at the 12:05 mark. Babin put the Colonels up with a layup and then made a great pass inside to Shay Arnick for a field goal. Arnick scored eight points on the night as Nicholls finished with 20 bench points.

Leading 56-52, White came up with another 3-pointer with four minutes to go. Nicholls then grabbed its largest lead on a Nash basket to make the score 62-52.

McNeese made a late surge as Jayln Johnson, who had 17 points, made a 3-pointer before the Cowgirls forced a turnover and Johnson scored on a layup. But with 60 seconds remaining and a 66-60 lead, Babin recorded her ninth assist when she found White wide open on the baseline for a game-clinching 3-pointer.

Nicholls finished the game shooting 42 percent, helped by a 5-of-7 second half from behind the arc. Only seven players scored in the win with Taylor Morrison adding eight points and JonMarie Guillory tacking on four points.

The Colonels had 17 assists versus just 10 turnovers. Along with Babin, Nash chipped in with three assists and Marina Lilly had two.

Nicholls will have the weekend off before hosting Oral Roberts for a Whtieout on Thursday, Jan. 30 at 5 p.m. The game will be aired live on ESPN3.