MONROE, La. – Following its worst half of the season, the Nicholls State University women's basketball team rallied to overcome a 23-point deficit against ULM and came away with a 55-54 victory Friday night in Fant-Ewing Coliseum.

Senior Cassidy Barrios, who had to sit early due to foul trouble, scored 23 of her game-high 27 points after the break which included three clutch shots down the stretch.

Barrios hit a 3-pointer with less than four minutes remaining for the Colonels' first lead of the night and then put Nicholls ahead by one point twice with baskets in the final 30 seconds. Her last came with 9 seconds on the clock, and the Colonel defense forced a missed shot on the final play of the game to secure the comeback.

Nicholls (5-5) finished at 36.7 percent from the field, aided by a 53 percent second half. The Colonels made just 5 of 28 from the floor in the opening 20 minutes for a season-low in points - trailing 26-10 at the intermission. The Red and Gray also had two starters - Barrios and freshman Adrian Mann (5 points), pick up two fouls, limiting them to 13 and 3 minutes, respectively.

But in the third quarter, Nicholls lit up the scoreboard for 28 points to cut the deficit to 41-38. ULM scored the first seven points for its largest lead of the night, 33-10 before the Colonels caught fire.

Mann and Barrios sparked the run with strong finishes on layups, and Barrios capped the 16-3 spurt with a bucket inside. Nicholls made back-to-back 3-pointers before heading into the final quarter down three.

Midway through the fourth, Airi Hamilton (9 points, 40 minutes)  found Chrystal Ezechukwu (5 points) for a layup and Barrios followed with a 3-ball for a 46-44 lead. But ULM answered with a 3-pointer by Amber Thompson and a free throw for a two-point edge.

The Colonels tied the score on a Bryanna Washington jumper and Mann made one free throw with a minute remaining after ULM sank a pair at the line. In the final 30 seconds, Barrios delivered two off-balanced layups, with the Warhawks' Arsula Clark (16 points) making a pair of free throws in between.

Nicholls had just 10 turnovers and recorded 10 steals, led by four from Barrios. She also had a team-high seven rebounds and added her 100th career block.

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Nicholls will make the short trek to Baton Rouge to face LSU on Tuesday, Dec. 18. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. and the game will be streamed on SEC Network Plus.