HIGHLIGHTS

THIBODAUX, La. – DeAndre Harris scored a career-high in points for the second straight game, this time with 42, as the Nicholls State University men's basketball team held off UIW, 94-84, in the Southland Conference opener Saturday evening at Stopher Gym.
 
Nicholls (8-6, 1-0 SLC) led by as much as 19 in the second half before UIW (5-7, 0-1) made a late surge to make it a four-point game 90 seconds to play. Harris came up with two big plays down the stretch, finding Liam Thomas for a layup before making up for two missed free throws as he rebounded the second and turned it into a three-point play for an 87-80 lead. The Colonels made seven free throws the rest of the way, led by Thomas with four, to earn its eighth win of the season.
 
Coming off a 35-point game against Spring Hill on Wednesday, Harris made 12-of-24 from the field and 15-of-21 at the free throw line to set the new career mark. He had 22 points in the first half last game and scored 26 against UIW. Harris made three 3-pointers and added six rebounds, three assists and two steals before fouling out with 24 seconds remaining.
 
Joining Harris in double figures was Ja'Dante' Frye with 23 points on 8-of-12 from the field, and Johnathan Bell and Jahvaughn Powell (5 steals) scored 10 each. Thomas (7 points) paced the defense with five blocks and Frye chipped in with four.
 
Both teams shot well from the field, with UIW having a slight edge, 50 to 48 percent, but the Cardinals turned the ball over 24 times which led to 30 points for Nicholls. Turnovers helped Nicholls jump out to a fast start as the Colonels scored the game's first eight points and led 19-8 after a steal by Bell made way for a Harris layup. But UIW answered with a 14-0 run midway through the half to take a 33-27 lead, capped on a 3-pointer by Sam Burmeister. Harris followed up with a three and the teams traded leads seven times in the final four minutes of the period before Nicholls entered the break with a 45-41 advantage.
 
Nicholls stayed on top in the second half, but it wasn't until Harris scored on a putback that the lead was back to double figures at 65-54 with 12 minutes to go. Powell came up with a pair of big 3-pointers and Harris knocked down two free throws to give Nicholls its largest lead, 75-56, with eight minutes remaining.
 
UIW's late push was fueled from long range as they hit four 3-pointers, getting three from Shawn Johnson (17 points). His last one came at the 1:27 mark to make it 84-80 before Nicholls closed out the game.
 
Jalin Hart led UIW with 23 points and Socki Sims score 22.
 
Nicholls will look to start 2-0 in conference as they host Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Monday night at 8 p.m. For tickets, please call the Nicholls Athletics Ticket Office at 985-448-4790 or log on to geauxcolonels.com.