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THIBODAUX, La. – The Nicholls State University men's basketball team will open its 2017-18 campaign Friday when it faces the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley inside the UTRGV Fieldhouse. The contest tips at 7 p.m. CT and will be streamed on the WAC Digital Network.

The Colonels are coming off a 14-17 season and are projected to finish 10th in the Southland Conference. Nicholls' squad features two returning starters and 11 newcomers, including five Division I transfers in Kimani Jackson (Colorado State), Maurice O'Field (Arizona State), Roddy Peters (South Florida), Legend Robertin (Clemson) and Tevon Saddler (UNC-Greensboro).

Senior guard Jahvaughn Powell, one of the two returning starters, topped the league with 5.0 assists per game last season. Redshirt senior guard Stevie Repichowski, the other returning starter, averaged 7.4 points and 2.4 rebounds per game. Senior guard Lafayette Rutledge chipped in 10.9 points per game off the bench. The trio combined for 66 percent (183-278) of the Colonels' three-pointers last season.

Junior college transfer Zaquavian Smith and local freshmen Rafe Blades and Kevin Johnson will complement the Powell-Repichowski-Rutledge backcourt alongside O'Field, Peters and Saddler.

Nicholls also reloaded its frontcourt, adding Robertin (7-foot-1), freshman Ryghe Lyons (6-10), Jackson (6-7) and junior Daniel Regis (6-7) to a unit that ranked third in the nation with 6.1 blocks per game.

The opening night matchup will see two second-year coaches in Richie Riley and UTRGV's Lew Hill.

The Vaqueros finished 10-22 overall and 2-12 in the Western Athletic Conference in Hill's debut run. UTRGV returns nine letter winners including four starters. Headlining that group is Preseason All-WAC First Team selection Nick Dixon, who contributed 18.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists per contest.

Get your season or single game tickets now by calling 985-448-4790 or visiting nichollstickets.com. To stay up to date with Nicholls men's basketball, follow the team on Twitter @Nicholls_MBB.