THIBODAUX, La.  – The Nicholls State University women's basketball team will look to push its winning streak to a season-long three games as the Colonels host Sam Houston State on Thursday night at Stopher Gym.
 
The matchup between Nicholls (6-8, 2-1 SLC) and Sam Houston (3-11, 2-2 SLC) will be broadcast live on KNSU 91.5 FM, with a video stream and live stats available on geauxcolonels.com.
 
Nicholls has won back-to-back games, mostly in part to its team defense. After holding Houston Baptist to 58 points, the third lowest for an opponent on the season, the Colonels smothered Abilene Christian to secure their first road win of the year. ACU entered the game averaging over 74 points per contest, and Nicholls limited the offense to nearly half of its average in the 63-39 victory.
 
The road win was instrumental in the Colonels' hopes for a conference championship as the schedule sets up nicely over the next month. Thursday's matchup with Sam Houston begins a stretch of seven home games in the next 10 contests. Since the start of the 2011-12 campaign, the Colonels have posted a 32-9 record at Stopher Gym, helped by its 3-1 mark this season.
 
While senior guard Jenny Nash had a team-high 19 points in the win over ACU and is leading the team in scoring at 13.4 points per game, other players have stepped up on the offensive end over the last two outings. Against HBU, Nicholls had four players score in double figures for the first time this season, led by a career-high 15 points from Hope Pawlowski and Shay Arnick. In the win at ACU, Veronica Ryan came up with 13 points off the bench, giving her a second double-figure scoring effort of the season.
 
On the defensive end, Nicholls has climbed up to fifth in the NCAA in steals per game, averaging 12.8 per game. The Colonels have swiped double figures in steals in the last seven games, including 20 and 21 in the last two. Freshman Tia Charles has been the main culprit, averaging 2.9 steals to rank 26th in the nation. Charles has been on a terror over the last eight games, racking up 35 steals for an astounding 4.4 average.
 
Sam Houston comes to Thibodaux off a 75-59 win at New Orleans on Jan. 10. The Bearkats struggled in the non-conference, posting a 1-9 record but have since went 2-2 in Southland play. Along with the win over UNO, Sam Houston has defeated Incarnate Word, and lost to Southeastern Louisiana and Northwestern State.
 
The Bearkat offense is led by juco transfer Shernise Robertson, who ranks fifth in the Southland at 15.4 points per game. In conference play, Robertson is at 16.8 points and has made 11 3-pointers. Taylor Dorsey is averaging 14.8 points in Southland play, followed by Shadijah Moore at 12.0 ppg.
 
Sam Houston leads the all-time series, 32-18, helped by its last-second win at home last season. The Colonels looked to be on their way to a win on the road, but the team went ice cold at the free throw line, allowing the Bearkats to rally back before a 3-pointer at the buzzer gave Sam Houston a 51-50 win.
 
Nicholls will host a women's/men's doubleheader on Saturday, Jan. 17, against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. The women will tip off at 1 p.m.