HONOLULU, Hawaii – Ja'Dante' Frye and T.J. Carpenter combined to score 52 points and the Nicholls State University basketball team won the second half, but Hawaii came away with a 99-74 victory in a late-night battle at the Stan Sheriff Center.
 
With a four-hour time difference in Hawaii, opening tip came at 11:30 p.m. central time, and the Colonels (1-2) started out sluggish against the sharp-shooting Rainbow Warriors (5-0).
 
Hawaii opened the game with a 7-0 run, but Carpenter nailed a pair of three-pointers to keep things close. Hawaii pushed its lead to 15-6, before Carpenter quieted the Rainbow Warrior crowd with another made basket from beyond the arc. After a jumper by Hawaii, Luka Kamber drilled a shot from three-point range, cutting the Bows' advantage to five. The Rainbow Warriors punched back with an 8-0 run to secure a 13-point lead. The teams traded baskets, but the gap continued to widen, and after a Mike Thomas buzzer-beating three pointer, Hawaii took a 26-point lead into the break.
 
In the first half, Nicholls shot a solid 40% from three-point range, but managed just 34.5% from the field and 50% at the free throw line. In stark contrast, the Rainbow Warriors shot a blistering 69.7% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc.
 
Period two opened with a three-point barrage. Carpenter picked up where he left off in the first period by knocking down a shot from long range just 24 seconds into the frame. Hawaii answered with a pair of threes, before Kamber found the net on a three-point attempt.
 
With the Colonels trailing by 28 points, Frye drove into the paint, got fouled on a made jumper, and knocked down his shot at the charity stripe. The "and one" play ignited Frye, who exploded offensively over the final 16 minutes of the ballgame.
 
During the 2014-15 season, Frye played in all 29 games with 26 starts, but made only one three-pointer in nine attempts. In the second half on Sunday night, Frye went 3-for-5 from beyond the arc, hit two jumpers and went 8-for-8 from the free throw line to score 21 of his career-high 27 points. In similar fashion, Carpenter hit a pair of threes, added a layup and went 6-for-6 from the charity stripe to post 14 of his 25 points in period two.
 
Nicholls finished with a 46-45 second-half edge over Hawaii, but couldn't climb out of a deep first-half hole.
 
For the game, the Colonels shot 36.4% from the floor, 40.7% (11-of-27) from three-point range and 76.7% at the free throw line. After a poor showing from the free throw line in the first half, Nicholls shot 19-of-22 in the second.
 
The Rainbow Warriors owned the paint, outscoring the Colonels, 48-16. Hawaii also took a 29-13 advantage over Nicholls in bench points and a 16-8 advantage in second-chance points. The Colonels were outrebounded 40-21 overall, but won the turnover battle, forcing 11 turnovers while committing only seven. In the entire second period Nicholls committed only two turnovers.
 
Frye's 27 points were the most by any player in the game, and surpassed his previous career-high of 23, set against New Orleans on March 2, last season. Frye also finished with team-highs in rebounds (four) and steals (two), while adding two assists. Just off Frye's pace, Carpenter contributed 25 points, four boards, two steals and two assists, while tying his career-high with five made three-pointers. Kamber and Liam Thomas led Nicholls with three assists apiece, and Johnathan Bell registered an efficient eight points and two rebounds in 15 minutes of work.
 
Kyle Caudill finished with three points, one board, one assists and one steal for the Colonels, but stole the show as a Bows fan favorite. Singled out early by the Hawaiian fans, the 7-foot, 300-pound center was enthusiastically cheered each time he touched the ball, showered with "M-V-P" chants on numerous occasions and swarmed by fans looking for high-fives as he made his post-game exit from the arena.
 
Stefan Jankovic led the Rainbow Warriors with 22 points and eight rebounds. Roderick Bobbitt finished the night with an 11-point, ten assist double-double.
 
Nicholls will head to Albuquerque for a matchup against New Mexico at 8 p.m. CT on Wednesday, before returning to Thibodaux to host Louisiana College at 6:30 P.N. on Tuesday.
 
For the most up-to-date information on Nicholls basketball, visit geauxcolonels.com.