THIBODAUX, La. – Redshirt senior
Ja'Dante' Frye scored a game-high 21 points to become the 25th player in Nicholls State University men's basketball history to reach 1,000 career points as the Colonels cruised to an 83-66 victory over Mobile Sunday evening at Stopher Gym.
Frye, a native of Thibodaux and graduate of E.D. White, headed into the game needing 20 points to reach 1,000. He scored 10 in the first half and quickly surpassed the mark after the break when he drilled a 3-pointer with 14:16 on the clock to put him at 1,001 career points. The milestone capped Frye's big weekend as he earned his degree Saturday at fall commencement.
Frye finished with a double-double, adding 12 rebounds, and was joined in double figures by five other Colonels.
Jahvaughn Powell matched his career best with 18 points,
DeAndre Harris scored 14 in his first career start and
Liam Thomas,
Johnathan Bell and
Stevie Repichowski each scored 10 apiece. Thomas continued his dominance around the basket with seven blocks.
The Rams, which were led by 19 points from Brandon Barnes, kept it close in the first half after leading by as much as five points in the early going. Nicholls broke a 31-31 tie before the intermission and headed into the locker room with a 42-35 lead.
Early in the second half, Nicholls used an impressive 15-0 run to gain its first comfortable lead of the evening. Over a five-minute span, the Colonels knocked down three triples, two from Frye, to grab a 58-38 advantage at the 13:41 mark.
For the rest of the game, Mobile fought back to come within 14 on three separate occasions but never got any closer.
Nicholls was hot from behind the arc, making 13-of-29 and shot 45 percent from the field. Powell hit four from long range and Frye added three. The Colonels also came up big at the charity stripe, sinking 20-of-25.
Harris led the team with six assists and Powell added five. Powell and Bell each recorded three steals in the win.
The Colonels will have the holiday break off before returning to host Spring Hill College on Wednesday, Dec. 28. Tipoff at Stopher Gym is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
