THIBODAUX, La. – For the second straight game, the Nicholls State University women's basketball team held its own against one of the Southland's premiere teams, but first-place Central Arkansas pulled away in the final minutes to hand the Colonels a 61-52 loss Saturday afternoon in Stopher Gym.
 
Nicholls (8-16, 5-8 SLC) and UCA (19-4, 11-2 SLC) were tied at 48 with five minutes to go, but the Sugar Bears showed why they are one of the best defenses in the nation as they held the Colonels scoreless for the next four minutes. UCA scored two buckets to take the lead before hitting nine free throws in the final minute to ice the game.  
 
Sophomore Cassidy Barrios was the lone Colonel to reach double figures, scoring 18 points on 5-of-12 shooting. Emani White and Hope Pawlowski each scored nine points for Nicholls, which was held to 2-of-12 3-pointers. The Colonels entered the contest averaging nine made 3-pointers per game.
 
Taylor Baudoin paced UCA with 18 points, with the majority of points coming from the free throw line late in the game. Maggie Proffitt finished with 15 and helped spark the Sugar Bears after the break. Nicholls led 29-25 at the half before Proffitt hit back-to-back 3-pointers to put UCA on top.
 
UCA stayed on top until the Colonels ended the third on a 6-0 run to even the score at 44. But in the fourth, the Sugar Bears limited the Red and Gray to 4-of-13 shooting as they outscored Nicholls, 17-8.
 
Nicholls shot 38 percent for the game and was out rebounded, 37-25. The Colonels finished with 10 steals, led by five from Taylor Morrison (8 points).
 
The Colonels will have the midweek off before returning to action next Saturday (Feb. 18) at McNeese. Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.