BOULDER, Colo. – After a tough battle with SMU on Wednesday, the Nicholls State University basketball team has a quick turnaround as the squad flies from Dallas to Boulder for a matchup with Colorado at 8 p.m. central time on the Pac-12 Network.
 
The Colonels (3-6) gave the undefeated Mustangs their best shot in front of President George W. Bush and 6,500 fans at Moody Stadium, but SMU gradually pulled away for an 86-42 victory.
 
The Buffaloes (8-1) dropped their opening game of the season, but have since won eight straight, and are coming off of a 92-83 defeat of BYU.
 
Friday's matchup will be the first ever meeting between Nicholls and Colorado.
 
The Colonels average 66.3 points and shoot 37.9% from the floor as a team. Nicholls has a -10.6 rebounding margin, but boasts a +1.7 turnover margin through nine games, despite facing some of the toughest competition in the country.
 
The Buffaloes average 84.8 points and shoot a solid 47.2% from the field. One of the most proficient rebounding teams in the nation, Colorado carries a +11.3 rebounding margin. The Buffaloes are sixth in the nation in defensive boards, 10^th in rebounds per game and 14^th in rebounding margin. Colorado shoots the long ball well and takes advantage of free throw opportunities. The Buffaloes rank 14^th in three-point field goal percentage and 17^th in free throw percentage nationally.
 
Ja'Dante' Frye leads the Colonels in average points (17.9), boards (6.4) and steals (1.4). T.J. Carpenter paces the squad with 2.4 assists per game, and is second on the team in both points (12.6) and rebounds (5.6).
 
Josh Scott spearheads the Colorado attack, averaging 18.7 points and 9.8 boards per game. Scott ranks 17^th in the nation in double-doubles, with five this season. Dominique Collier and Josh Fortune each average a team-leading 3.3 assists.
 
Following Friday's matchup, Nicholls will fly to Nevada to face Hampton at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, in the first of two games at the Las Vegas Classic. The Colonels will play their second and final contest of the tournament on Wednesday. The time and opponent for Wednesday's game will be determined after the conclusion of Tuesday's action.
 
For the most up-to-date information on Nicholls basketball, visit geauxcolonels.com.