NACOGDOCHES, Texas – In what could arguably be biggest game in their 41-year history, the Nicholls State University women's basketball team will look to claim a share of first place in the Southland Conference as the Colonels take on league-leading Stephen F. Austin on Saturday evening at William R. Johnson Coliseum.
 
Tipoff against the Ladyjacks (18-6, 11-2 SLC) is scheduled for 4 p.m. KNSU 91.5 FM will broadcast the game live and a live stats link will be available on geauxcolonels.com.
 
With the unbalanced schedule, Saturday will be the only matchup against SFA for Nicholls (14-10, 10-3 SLC) this season. The Ladyjacks took sole possession of first place after handedly defeating Lamar, 71-60, on Thursday night. Lamar, which defeated Nicholls in their only meeting of the season, dropped to 11-3 in conference. A win by Nicholls over SFA would put the teams in a three-way tie for first with four games to go.
 
Stephen F. Austin has dominated the all-time series against the Colonels, 40-6, but four of Nicholls' victories have come under seventh-year head coach DoBee Plaisance. Last season, the Colonels won a double-overtime thriller, largely in part to the heroics on Emani White. With Nicholls down three in the final seconds of regulation, White, who finished with 30 points, sank a desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer to tie the game. In the second OT, she came through with the game-winning jumper in the final seconds to give Nicholls a 75-74 win.
 
In fact, each of the Colonels' wins over SFA in the last three seasons have come by one point. In 2013, SFA came up empty at the buzzer to fall 65-64 and in 2012, Jenny Nash banked home a 3-pointer in the final seconds to give Nicholls a 64-63 victory.
 
As a senior, Nash has emerged as one of the best players in the Southland, averaging 14.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and leads the Southland in 3-point percentage (.411) and 3-pointers made (2.8). Nash, who ranks seventh in the league in scoring, is the only top 10 scorer who also ranks in the top 20 of conference in rebounding (18th) and assists (2.7/14th).
 
Nash led the offense with 17 points in the Colonels' 59-40 win over Northwestern State, which pushed their winning streak to seven games. Freshman Tia Charles had 16 points and four assists while White and Shay Arnick added nine points each.
 
The defensive effort against NSU was one of the Colonels' best to date, holding the Lady Demons to 26 percent from the field. It also marked the fifth time during the winning streak that Nicholls has held its opponent to less than 60 points, and it was the third 40-or-less game.
 
SFA is also riding a winning streak, claiming its sixth-straight after knocking off Lamar. The Ladyjacks swept the season series with LU, while their losses came at McNeese State and at Sam Houston.
 
The Ladyjacks are led by Southland Player of the Year candidate Porsha Roberts. In her senior season, Roberts is averaging 17.9 points on 63.7 percent shooting, 9.3 rebounds and has a league-leading 56 blocked shots. She is one of three players scoring in double figures, joined by Taylor Ross (14.3) and Tierany Henderson (10.1).
 
Nicholls will continue its road swing next week with games at New Orleans (Feb. 26) and McNeese State (Feb. 28).