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THIBODAUX, La. – With six games remaining in the conference schedule, the Nicholls State University women's basketball team begins a crucial week Wednesday night as the Colonels take on rival Northwestern State at Prather Coliseum.
 
Tipoff between the Colonels and Lady Demons is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Nicholls will be going for the season sweep after defeating NSU, 70-61, in Thibodaux on Jan. 20.
 
With first-place Abilene Christian ineligible for postseason play, the Colonels (8-14, 6-6 SLC) sit at No. 5 in the standings, trailing McNeese State and Northwestern State (14-10), which are both 8-5 and tied for second. Stephen F. Austin, who Nicholls will play at home on Saturday, is a game ahead of the Colonels with a 7-5 record after winning six straight. After falling to Southeastern Louisiana on Saturday, Nicholls is 1.5 games ahead of Sam Houston and Corpus Christi, which are tied for the final postseason spot.
 
Nicholls shot 34 percent from the field in the loss to Southeastern and is at 39 percent for the season. Of the Colonels' eight wins, only once have made less than 40 percent of their shots, which came in a 66-64 win at UIW.
 
Sophomore Tia Charles led the Colonels in scoring on Saturday, netting 19 points and hit 5-of-10 from behind the arc. For the season, Charles is one of three Colonels averaging double figures in scoring, joined by LiAnn McCarthy (13.4 ppg) and Cassidy Barrios (10.2). All three had solid days for Nicholls in the loss at SLU as Barrios finished with 17 points and McCarthy scored 15. The trio is also averaging double figures in conference play, led by McCarthy's 17.3 points.
 
In the previous match against Northwestern State, Taylor Morrison led the charge as she scored 17 points and made five 3-pointers. Nicholls made 14 3s in the victory, tying its program single-game mark.
 
Northwestern State heads into the matchup after impressive wins over Central Arkansas on the road and home against McNeese State. The back-to-back Southland Tournament Champions blew out McNeese in the last outing, 85-64.
 
The Lady Demons are led by point guard Janelle Perez, who is averaging 17.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and has 40 assists in league play. Perez had 15 points in the first matchup on 6-of-16 shooting. Beatrice Attura is also averaging double figures in conference play at 10.8 points.
 
Nicholls will return home for its next two contests, hosting Stephen F. Austin (Feb. 20) and New Orleans (Feb. 24). The game against New Orleans is the annual Stopher Stopher Game, and fans are encouraged to Pink Out the gym as part of Play 4 Kay.