THIBODAUX, La.  – After seeing Southeastern Louisiana make nine 3-pointers for a 47-46 lead at halftime, the Nicholls State University women's basketball team clamped down on defense in the second half, holding the Lady Lions to 15 points through the first 15 minutes and the Colonels received double-figure scoring from five players en route to 93-80 victory on Saturday afternoon at Stopher Gym.
 
With the win, Nicholls (13-10, 9-3 SLC) pushed its winning streak to a program-record six games. More importantly, the Colonels stay within a game of first place in the Southland Conference standings. Southeastern fell to 7-16 overall and 3-9 in conference.
 
Freshman Tia Charles led the Colonel quintet with a game-high 20 points while adding five assists and four steals. Charles knocked down three of the Colonels' eight 3-pointers, as did Jenny Nash who poured in 19 points. Emani White, needing only eight points to become the 13th player in school history to score 1,000 for their career, surpassed the mark in the first half by scoring 11 of her 16 points. Hope Pawlowski matched her career-best with 15 points and six steals and Marina Lilly came off the bench for 10 points and seven rebounds.
 
The Colonels shot 49 percent for the game and went shot-for-shot with Southeastern in the first half as both teams made over 50 percent of their field goal attempts. Southeastern seemed like it was unable to miss from behind the arc in the first twenty minutes, making 9-of-15 from long range. The Lady Lions led by as much as 11 in the early going, but the Colonels closed out the half with a 10-2 run to head into the locker room down 47-46.
 
The run continued into the opening minutes of the second half as Nicholls outscored SLU, 11-2, to take a 57-49 lead. Charles closed out the spurt with back-to-back 3-pointers.
 
The Colonels held a 67-58 lead at the 11 minute mark, but over the next five minutes, they would only allow one field goal and a pair of free throws as they blew open the game for 82-62 lead. The Lady Lions added four more 3-pointers down the stretch to shrink the final margin to 13. SLU finished the day making 15-of-29 from behind the arc.
 
Nicholls limited Southeastern to just 32 percent shooting from the field in the second half. For the game, the Colonels outrebounded the Lady Lions, 41-30, and had 15 steals off 22 turnovers.
 
Nicholls will close out its home stand on Wednesday, Feb. 18, against Northwestern State at 6 p.m. The game will serve as the team's annual Stuff Stopher event.