NATCHITOCHES, La. – After earning their first road victory of the 2014-15 season, the Nicholls State University men's basketball team will look to break another streak and win back-to-back games for the first time in 11 months as they face a challenging Northwestern State squad at 6:30 p.m. on Monday in Prather Coliseum.
The Colonels (5-11, 2-4 SLC) earned their second conference victory and their first win on the road this season against the struggling Bears of Central Arkansas, but will have to play their best ball of the season to come away with a win against the Demons (9-9, 4-3 SLC). The last time Nicholls won back-to-back games was in February of the 2013-14 season when the team defeated McNeese State 68-59, and Abilene Christian 79-60. Both victories came at home.
Northwestern State is coming off of a 93-67 dismantling of McNeese State on Saturday after dropping an 88-76 decision to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Tuesday.
The Demons own the all-time series with the Colonels 65-40, and eliminated Nicholls from the Southland Conference Tournament 88-72, in the most recent meeting between the two programs on March 13.
In conference play this year the Colonels are surrendering just 65.8 points per game, while holding opponents to 41.9 percent shooting from the floor and 30.4 percent from beyond the arc. Nicholls is currently third in the league in scoring defense, behind Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston State, the top two teams in the Southland.
Northwestern State enters Monday's matchup ranked third in the nation in scoring offense, averaging 87.4 points per contest. The Demons are shooting lights out at 48.8 percent from the floor and 40.4 percent from three-point range in Southland play.
The Colonels will have to put forth their best defensive effort of the season, and take care of the ball on the offensive end against a Northwestern State team that holds a +4 turnover margin in conference play.
T.J. Carpenter and
Ja'Dante' Frye lead Nicholls on the offensive end, averaging 10.1 and 9.1 points respectively. Carpenter and
Richie Lewis each have a 2.3 assists per game average, while
Sam McBeath paces the squad with a 6.5 rebounds per contest. Lewis is fourth in the conference in steals per game (1.9) and
Liam Thomas is fifth in blocks per game (1.8).
Zeek Woodley spearheads the offensive attack for the Demons, averaging 22.4 points per game, good for first in the conference and third in the nation. Jalan West is second in the conference in scoring (18.3 points per game), second in steals per game (2.2) ane leads the league in assists per game (7.4). Marvin Frazier grabs 6 boards per contest and is second in the conference in total blocks (41).
Nicholls will battle Northwestern State on Monday before returning home to face Incarnate Word at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 31. Both games will be broadcast live on KQKI 95.3 FM.
Visit geauxcolonels.com for live stats and the most up-to-date information on Nicholls men's basketball.
