BEAUMONT, Texas – The Nicholls State University women's basketball team fell behind as much as 18 points in the first half at Lamar and despite a late comeback that made it a three-point game, the Colonels were never able to fully recover as they dropped a 81-77 decision Wednesday night in the Montagne Center.
 
With the loss, Nicholls fell to 9-19 on the season and 6-11 in the Southland. The win upped Lamar's record to 21-6 and 14-3, and avenged an earlier loss this season to the Colonels.
 
Lamar, which led for the entire duration of the game, raced out to a 15-2 advantage after just five minutes of play and headed into the locker room with a 42-34 lead. The Cardinals led 31-13 early in the second quarter before the Colonels closed out the half on a 21-11 run, capped on a Tykeria Williams 3-pointer with three seconds remaining. Williams scored 14 points for the game, hitting 4-of-7 3-pointers.
 
Midway through the third, Nicholls used back-to-back 3-pointers from Williams and Hope Pawlowski to cut the deficit to 52-46, but Lamar answered with a 7-0 run to push it back to double figures.
 
The Colonels used another run in the fourth to trim Lamar's lead down to six points again, but LU countered with a 5-0 spurt to make the advantage 11. But Nicholls scored the next five points and eventually cut it to three in the final two minutes. The last came with 27 seconds remaining when Williams made a layup to put the score at 80-77. LU tacked on a free throw and on the Colonels' final possession, Emani White misfired on a 3-pointer as the Cardinals earned a series split.
 
Pawlowski led the Colonels with 18 points on 5-of-9 from the field. Taylor Morrison finished with 14 points and White scored 12, while Cassidy Barrios had 13 points, seven rebounds, six assists and six steals.
 
Lamar was led by Chastadie Barrs with 18 points.
 
UP NEXT
 
The Colonels will close out the regular season on Senior Day against New Orleans, Saturday, March 4. Before the game, Nicholls will recognize its three-member senior class – Taylor Morrison, Hope Pawlowski and Emani White. Tipoff at Stopher Gym is scheduled for 1 p.m.