HIGHLIGHTS
THIBODAUX, La. – The Nicholls State University women's basketball team kept up with one of the nation's highest scoring teams and led by a point over Troy at halftime, but the frantic pace eventually wore down the Colonels as they were handed a 100-75 loss Wednesday night at Stopher Gym.
Nicholls (3-6) headed into the break with a 40-39 lead, but Troy (6-2) doubled up the Colonels in the third quarter, 30-15, and went on to reach 100 points for the second time this season.
All five starters for the Colonels scored in double figures, led by a game-high 20 points from
Hope Pawlowski, but Nicholls received only three points from its bench. The Trojans enjoyed 66 points from theirs, paced by 19 and 18 points from Kayla Robinson and ArJae' Saunders, respectively, which helped Troy pull away in the second half.
Nicholls knocked down seven 3-pointers in the first half and finished the game 12-of-31 from behind the arc.
Emani White (16 points) sank four triples and dished out eight assists, and Pawlowski and
Taylor Morrison (13 points) made three as well.
Heading into the matchup as the NCAA steals leader, the Colonels racked up 17 on 23 Troy turnovers, but like the loss at Louisiana Tech, Nicholls was unable to negate the size advantage. Nicholls gained the lead before the break thanks to a 17-2 advantage in points off turnovers, but Troy dominated on the glass for the game, 50-23, and scored 18 points off of 20 offensive rebounds.
In the decisive third quarter,
Tykeria Williams (13 points) hit a 3-pointer to give Nicholls a 48-45 lead before Troy took control of the game. The Trojans answered with a 10-0 spurt and after a 3 from Morrison, the visitors closed out the quarter on a 14-4 run for a 69-55 advantage.
Cassidy Barrios (10 points, 6 rebounds) started the fourth with a 3-pointer to make it an 11-point game, but Nicholls would not get any closer the rest of the way.
The Colonels will hit the road for their next two contests, taking on Jacksonville State (Dec. 18) and Memphis (Dec. 21).
