LAKE CHARLES, La. – With four regular-season games remaining before the Southland Conference Tournament, the Nicholls State University men's basketball team will look to finish strong as they battle in-state rival McNeese State at 3 p.m. in Lake Charles on Saturday.
The Colonels (7-17, 4-10 SLC) were in the middle of the Southland pack before a four-game skid dropped the squad to eighth in the league standings. Because five Southland teams are ineligible for the tournament, Nicholls is guaranteed a spot in the postseason. The Colonels will fight for seeding over their remaining regular-season contests. A win over the Cowboys (11-15, 5-10 SLC) on Saturday would immediately jump Nicholls into sixth or seventh place, depending on how New Orleans fares against Abilene Christian this weekend.
McNeese State has dropped four of its last six games, but is coming off of a 77-60 victory against Central Arkansas on Tuesday.
The Cowboys own the all-time series against the Colonels 49-35, but Nicholls has won the last three meetings between the programs, including a 70-59 victory on Feb. 7 this season in Thibodaux.
In Southland Conference play the Colonels are averaging 60.7 points and surrendering 68.6. Nicholls shoots 43 percent from the floor and 26.8 percent from three-point range. The Colonels have a -1.7 rebounding margin and -2.4 turnover margin through 24 games.
T.J. Carpenter leads Nicholls offensively, averaging 10.8 points in league play.
Sam McBeath paces the squad with 6.4 rebounds per game, while
Richie Lewis dishes out 2.9 assists.
Desharick Guidry averages a team-high 17.3 points and 11.1 boards in conference, while Kevin Hardy tosses a team-leading 4.1 assists per contest.
Nicholls will battle McNeese State on Saturday before heading to the Big Easy for a 7 p.m. showdown with New Orleans on Monday. Both games will be broadcast live on KQKI 95.3 FM. Saturday's matchup with the Cowboys will also be shown live on ESPN3.
Visit geauxcolonels.com for live stats and the most up-to-date information on Nicholls men's basketball.
