PDF Box THIBODAUX, La. – Senior
LiAnn McCarthy scored 19 points and
Marina Lilly tallied her second straight double-double to lead five Colonels in double figure scoring as the Nicholls State University women's basketball team won its Southland Conference opener against Lamar, 69-59, Saturday at Stopher Gym.
With the win, Nicholls (3-8, 1-0 SLC) snapped a five-game losing streak on the season and a two-game skid in the series against Lamar (4-8, 0-1 SLC). The Cardinals were the favorite to win the Southland in both preseason polls.
The Colonels trailed for only 12 seconds in the contest, helped by a season-low 14 turnovers. Nicholls shot 49.1 percent from the field, its second best percentage of the season, and had 18 assists on 26 made field goals.
McCarthy, who had missed two-plus seasons due to injuries, connected on 8 of 16 from the field for her season-high in points. Lilly finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds, while
Tia Charles and
Taylor Morrison added 10 points each. Lamar was led by a game-high 26 points from Addesha Collins.
Charles started off the night with a 3-pointer as Nicholls took an early 5-0 lead. Both teams hit five 3s on the day, but combined to make just 10 of 41 from behind the arc.
The Colonels led 15-10 after the first period, and Lamar outscored Nicholls by two in a 40-point second quarter to give Nicholls a slim 34-31 advantage at the break.
Nicholls maintained the lead in the second quarter until the final three minutes of the half.
Cassidy Barrios knocked down a 3 to give Nicholls a 27-23 lead, but Baileigh O'Dell banked home a 3-ball to cut the deficit back to one. After a turnover by the Colonels, Lamar took its only lead of the night on a bucket by Collins with 2:08 remaining.
Charles quickly answered with a layup to put Nicholls back on top and a late basket by Lilly sent the Colonels into the locker room with a three-point advantage. Nicholls had one of its best shooting halves of the season, connecting on 51.9 percent from the field.
In the third, Collins drained another one from long range to tie the game at 36-all, but the Colonels responded with a jumper by Morrison and a 3-pointer by
Karrington Brown. Nicholls then used an 8-2 spurt to grab a nine-point lead before Lamar closed out the quarter with the final four points to make the score 50-45.
Nicholls held a slim advantage in the fourth until a
Cassidy Barrios, who had 7 points and 7 rebounds for the home team, sank a 3-pointer and McCarthy followed with a layup to give the Colonels a 60-50 lead with 4:26 remaining. Nicholls led by as much as 14 down the stretch as they secured its first victory since November.
Nicholls and Lamar headed into the matchup as two of the top teams in the NCAA in steals, but combined for just 11 on the day as they totaled just 27 turnovers.
Hope Pawlowski led Nicholls with six assists.
Nicholls will hit the road for its next contest, taking on Houston Baptist on Thursday, Jan. 7. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
