THIBODAUX, La. – The Nicholls State University women's basketball team will play their first home game of the season Saturday as the Colonels welcome rival ULM to Stopher Gym for a 1 p.m. matchup.
 
Nicholls is searching for its first win of the young season, falling at Gonzaga and Prairie View A&M to start the 2016-17 campaign. In their last outing Tuesday at Prairie View, the Colonels displayed their strong defense of years past with 16 steals in the two-point loss.
 
Senior Hope Pawlowski leads the team in scoring after two games, averaging 15 points per contest. Sophomore Cassidy Barrios is second at 13.0 and is coming off a 22-point, 10-rebound effort on Tuesday.
 
ULM (1-2) has dropped its last two after defeating Centenary in its season opener. The Warhawks lost at Arkansas and were defeated at home by Grambling, 59-54, on Tuesday. Last season, ULM handed Nicholls a 69-57 loss.
 
ULM is led on offense by Alexis Collins (14.3 ppg) and Stephanie Ratliff (14.0). Collins is shooting 57 percent from the field and has connected on three 3-pointers.
 
Nicholls will play at home for the second straight time when they take on Jackson State Tuesday night at 6 p.m.