FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -  The Nicholls State University women's basketball team held a one-point lead over Arkansas at halftime, but the Razorbacks opened the second half with an 11-0 run and fended off several comeback attempts by Nicholls as the Colonels fell 63-52 in its season opener on Friday afternoon Bud Walton Arena.
 
Jenny Nash paced the Colonels on offense, scoring 12 of her team-high 15 points in the second half. Nash shot 5-of-12 and made 3-pointers, but the Colonels struggled from the field, finishing the day at 33.9 percent from the floor. Tia Charles also hit three from long range, netting 11 points in her Colonel debut and Emani White added 10 points and four assists.
 
Charles scored eight points in the first half, helping Nicholls to a 22-21 lead at the break. Both teams had a hard time generating offense in the opening 20 minutes as Nicholls shot 32 percent from the field and Arkansas made only 23 percent of its shots. The Razorbacks led the entire first half until Nicholls, trailing 21-16, closed out the half with two 3-pointers by Charles to give the Colonels the edge at intermission.
 
Arkansas took the lead after a basket-and-one, and two 3-pointers helped spark the 11-0 run to open the half. But Nicholls hung around and a Nash 3-pointer cut the deficit to 37-34 with 13:32 left in the game.
 
Still up three, the Razorbacks answered with a 9-2 spurt to go up 50-40 with eight minutes remaining, sparked by two baskets off offensive rebounds. Arkansas controlled the glass all game, outrebounding Nicholls 52-26 including a 23-9 advantage on the offensive glass.
 
The Colonels trimmed the Arkansas lead to five two times down the stretch, but could not get any closer.
 
Arkansas, which shot 50 percent in the second half, had four players finish in double figures in scoring, led by Melissa Wolf with 17 points and 13 rebounds. The Razorbacks knocked down only 56 percent of their free throws, but had a huge advantage at the line, outshooting the Colonels 25-4.
 
Nicholls will return home to host the SUNO Lady Knights on Tuesday, Nov. 18. Tipoff at Stopher Gym is scheduled for 6 p.m.