NASHVILLE, Tenn.   -  The Nicholls State University women's basketball team battled back from an eight-point deficit in the second half to take the lead over Youngstown State, but a foul in the final seconds with the game tied led to a Penguin free throw as Nicholls fell, 51-50, in its opening game of the Teresa Phillips Thanksgiving Classic on Saturday afternoon at Tennessee State's Gentry Center.
 
Nicholls (1-2) will wrap up play in the classic on Sunday, taking on Norfolk State (0-4) at noon.
 
The Colonels shot an abysmal 27 percent from the field in the loss, but the team came through with clutch 3-pointers down the stretch to help erase their deficit. A Jenny Nash 3-pointer led to a 7-0 run to tie the game at 38 with 6:18 to go, and then the senior from Houston drained a 3-ball to give Nicholls its first lead of the half at 41-40.
 
Emani White hit one from long range at the 5:08 mark for a 44-40 lead, capping a 13-2 run, but Youngstown State (5-0) answered with a 7-0 run. Down three with two minutes remaining, Nicholls got a pair of free throws by Nash before White picked up a steal and finished with a layup to put the Colonels back ahead 48-47.
 
YSU evened the score with a free throw and took the lead with 29 seconds remaining when Heidi Schlegel knocked down a short jumper on the baseline. Nash came back with a jumper that was off the mark, but Hope Pawlowski corralled the rebound and was fouled with eight seconds left on the clock.
 
Pawlowski made both free throws to even the score at 50, but was whistled for a foul in the backcourt on the inbounds, sending YSU's Indiya Benjamin to the line. Benjamin missed the first before connecting on the second.
 
With time winding down, the Colonels looked to White for the game-winner, but her desperation 3-pointer from the top of the key was off the mark as YSU escaped with the win.
 
Nash led the Colonels with a game-high 17 points, while White chipped in with nine. White struggled from the field in the loss by making just 3-of-13, but came up with seven of the Colonels' 14 steals.
 
Youngstown State, which led 26-22 at the break, had 27 turnovers and shot 34 percent from the field. The Penguins were led by Schlegel and Latisha Walker with 15 points each. The duo teamed up for 22 rebounds as YSU outrebounded Nicholls, 45-33.