CONWAY, Ark.  – Senior Shay Arnick scored a career-high 18 points for the second consecutive game, but it was freshman Tia Charles and junior Emani White who carried the Nicholls State University women's basketball team in overtime as the duo accounted for nine of the Colonels' 11 points to lift Nicholls to a 75-72 victory over Central Arkansas on Saturday afternoon at the Farris Center.
 
With the win, Nicholls improved to 8-10 overall and 4-3 in Southland play. The victory was the Colonels' third straight over Central Arkansas, which fell to 10-9 and 3-4.
 
Charles, who finished with 15 points and six assists, gave Nicholls the lead in regulation after she stole the ball at midcourt and was fouled on a layup, sinking both free throws with just over a minute remaining to make the score 63-62. After a pair of UCA free throws, Charles converted on one more from the line to tie the game at 64. The Sugar Bears had the ball in the final 20 seconds but were unable to get a shot off before the buzzer sounded.
 
In the extra session, Ekiya Gray, who scored 10 points, started the scoring with a basket inside. UCA answered with three points to take the lead before White and Charles scored back-to-back field goals. Following another bucket by UCA, Charles pulled up from the wing to drain a 3-pointer, giving Nicholls a 73-69 lead with 1:18 remaining.
 
The Sugar Bears scored inside to cut the deficit to two, then Charles turned the ball over and was whistled for a foul. But Brianna Mullins, who scored 14 points in the loss, could only convert on the second free throw. White was quickly fouled with 27 seconds remaining and she made both free throws for a 75-72 advantage. Following a timeout, UCA fired off two 3-pointers for a chance to tie the game, but came up empty as the final horn sounded.
 
For the game, the Colonels shot a season-high 58.3 percent from the field, thanks in part to their post players. Arnick converted on 8-of-10 from the field, Gray made 5-of-7 and Marina Lilly came off the bench for 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting. All of Lilly's points came in the second half after Nicholls trailed 35-33 at the intermission.
 
Nicholls raced out to a 12-6 lead, but a mixture of bad turnovers and stout defense by UCA, which posts the Southland's top scoring defense, led to a 17-2 run which put the Sugar Bears up 23-14. But before the break, Arnick scored three field goals and White drained a 3-pointer in the final seconds to cap a 13-2 run by the Colonels.
 
Nicholls tied the game twice in the early minutes of the second half, but it wasn't until the 12:39 mark that the Colonels regained the lead after Charles knocked down a 3-pointer for a 46-43 lead. For the rest of the half, the teams battled through four ties and five lead changes.
 
The overtime victory was the second for the Colonels this season, who won against Norfolk State, 69-64, in Nashville over Thanksgiving break.
 
The Colonels will play their next two games at home, which starts a stretch of five home games in the next six contests.  Nicholls will host New Orleans on Thursday (Jan. 29) night before taking on Incarnate Word on Saturday (Jan. 31).