Final Stats Box Score

THIBODAUX, La.  – Taylor Morrison scored a career-high 15 points to lead four Colonels in double figures and the defense held Oral Roberts to 38 percent shooting and caused 18 turnovers as the Nicholls State University women's basketball team won its third consecutive game, knocking off ORU, 71-60, on Thursday night at Stopher Gym.

Nicholls improves to 10-9 overall and 5-3 in the Southland while ORU falls to 5-13 and 4-4. The win sets up a critical matchup with first-place Central Arkansas on Saturday at Stopher Gym. Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.

The Colonels lit up the scoreboard for 43 points in the first half and never trailed in the game, leading by as much as 15 in the early going. Jenny Nash scored all 14 of her points in the opening period to lead Nicholls to a 10-point advantage. Nash had three 3-pointers as Nicholls went 6 of 8 from behind the arc before the break.

Morrison also had a 3-pointer on the night, finishing 4 of 8 from the field and a perfect 6 of 6 at the line. The freshman from Baton Rouge also collected a career-high nine rebounds as Nicholls edged ORU 39-37. Also reaching double figures in scoring was Emani White with 12 points and seven rebounds, and KK Babin added 11 points and five assists.

The Colonels jumped out to a 7-0 lead and went up 12-2 after a 3-pointer by Emani White with just four minutes off the clock. ORU chipped the deficit to 13-8 before the Colonels caught fire, draining three 3-pointers.

A Morrison 3-pointer put the score at 16-8, and Nash followed suit with a deep bomb to stretch the lead to 11.  At the 11:07 mark, Nash found Babin for a 3-pointer to give Nicholls a 26-11 lead.

ORU responded with a 12-2 run, capped on a jumper by Christian Key. But the Colonel defense held the Golden Eagles to just four points over the next four minutes as Nash and Shay Arnick, who had eight points off the bench, combined for 12 points during the stretch to make the score 40-27. Nash knocked down two 3-pointers and a pair of free throws while Arnick made two field goals. The Colonels went into the break up 43-33.

Nicholls cooled off after the intermission, and ORU made a pair of 3-pointers to come within four points after the first two minutes. But Nicholls seemed to have an answer every time ORU threatened as the Colonels scored five straight points, taking a 50-41 lead after a steal and layin by White.

Trailing 65-55 with less than five minutes to go, the Golden Eagles made one final push after Noora Jaervikngas sank her second 3-pointer of the half. But Nicholls maintained its lead by making free throws, making its last eight attempts to improve to 7-1 at home.

After shooting 44 percent in the first half, the Colonels finished the game at 38 percent. Nicholls was stellar at the free throw line, making 19 of 23, and had only 13 turnovers.

ORU was led by Kaylan Mayberry with 17 points on 7 of 13 from the field. Mayberry scored 14 in the first half but was hampered with foul trouble in the second before eventually fouling out.

Saturday's contest against Central Arkansas will be aired live on KNSU 91.5 FM, with pregame coverage scheduled for 12:45 p.m. Tickets are available by calling the Nicholls Athletics Ticket Office at 985-448-4790 or by visiting NichollsTickets.com.