THIBODAUX, La. – The Nicholls State University women's basketball team will begin a busy home schedule with five of its next six games at Stopher Gym, starting this week with matchups against New Orleans (Thursday, Jan. 29) and Incarnate Word (Jan. 31). Tipoffs are scheduled for 6 p.m. and 1 p.m., respectively.
 
Both games will be aired live on KNSU 91.5 FM, with a video stream available on Colonels-All Access.
 
Nicholls (8-10, 4-3 SLC) is coming off a 1-1 road trip, losing Thursday at Northwestern State in a heartbreaker before bouncing back with a 75-72 overtime win at Central Arkansas on Saturday. The win at UCA was the Colonels' second road win in conference play and improved the team's record to 2-0 in overtime games this season.
 
Nicholls heads into Thursday's game averaging 61.5 points, but has been scoring at a 66.7 rate in conference play. Senior Jenny Nash continues to lead the Colonels in scoring, averaging 12.9 points per game. Although she did not reach double figures in scoring for just the fourth time this season in Nicholls' overtime win at UCA, Nash is one of two Colonels who are averaging over 12 points in Southland play. Nash also paces the team at 12.3 points in seven SLC games, followed by senior center Shay Arnick at 12.0. Arnick had a great week on the road, posting back-to-back 18 point efforts.
 
Nash and junior guard Emani White are also approaching career milestones as the duo is looking to become only the 12th and 13th Colonels to reach 1,000 points. Nash currently has 981 points, while White is close behind at 959.
 
New Orleans (2-14, 0-7 SLC) heads to Thibodaux looking for its first Southland victory since joining the league last season. While UNO went winless last year, the Privateers have came out on top twice this season, including a win over Kent State to end 2014.
 
UNO, averaging 53.9 points per game overall and 52.1 in conference, does not have any players scoring over eight points, but has three averaging over seven. Leading the way for the Privateers is Randi Brown at 7.9 points.
 
The Privateers lead the all-time series, 22-16, but the Colonels have won the last four including a pair of wins last season.
 
Incarnate Word enters the week with a 5-12 record on the year and is 2-4 in Southland games. After defeating Southeastern Louisiana, the Cardinals have dropped their last two, including a double-overtime shootout, 104-101, to McNeese State.
 
UIW is averaging 61.4 points a game, being outscored by their opposition by eight points. The Cardinals are led by Aricka Adams at 14.1 points per game, but the junior guard missed the last game after suffering a knee injury late against McNeese. Adams put together back-to-back 23-point outings and added six assists against SLU.
 
The Colonels and Cardinals have only met once before, coming last season on Nicholls' Senior Day. The Red and Gray trailed by eight at half time, but Emani White scored 22 points in the second half to lead Nicholls to a 76-64 win.
 
Following Saturday's game, Nicholls will play a rare home-and-home with UIW, taking on the Cardinals in San Antonio on Wednesday, Feb. 4.