THIBODAUX, La. – The Nicholls State University women's basketball team will look to begin Southland Conference play with two wins for the first time since 2014 as the Colonels welcome UIW to Stopher Gymnasium on Saturday, Jan. 5. Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.

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The Colonels (7-6, 1-0 SLC) started league play Wednesday night and won a high-scoring affair, 97-86, over in-state rival Northwestern State. Nicholls made 37 free throws in the win, two shy of its team record, but the 97 points were the most in a Southland game in school history. The Red and Gray headed into the matchup with the Lady Demons as one of the best free throw shooting teams in the nation and finished the game at 78.7 percent.

While Cassidy Barrios turned in a routine 23 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists, the Colonels had four players reach double figures in scoring for the first time this season. Airi Hamilton was a perfect 7 of 7 at the free throw line for a career-high 19 points, and junior transfer Chrystal Ezechukwu matched her personal best of 15 points. Sophomore Bryanna Washington also netted a career-high 14 points on 7 of 11 from the line.

Nicholls dominated in rebounding against NSU with a 44-24 advantage. The Colonels have had the upper hand on the boards seven times this season and are 6-1 in those games.

UIW (1-11, 0-1 SLC) is coming off its first victory of the season after going winless in nonconference play. Following a loaded schedule which featured games against Arizona, Arizona State, and Minnesota, the Cardinals wasted no time in claiming a win in league play by taking down McNeese, 68-66,  in their opener Wednesday night. UIW trailed by as much as 14 in the second half before mounting the comeback.

Despite the win, the Cardinals are being outscored this season by an average of nearly 27 points per game. Averaging 52.6 as a team, UIW is led on offense by Imani Johnson and Angelica Wiggins at 9.6 per contest. Lunden Henry and Starr Omozee rank second on the team at 7.8.

The series between Nicholls and UIW is knotted at 4-4. The Colonels won the first four matchups, starting in 2014, but have dropped the last four. In the opening weekend of last season's conference schedule, Robinson sank a pair of free throws with seven seconds remaining to lift UIW to a 64-62 win in San Antonio.

UP NEXT
Nicholls will head to east Texas for its first Southland road game with a matchup against Stephen F. Austin on Wednesday, Jan. 9. Tipoff is Nacogdoches is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. and the game will stream on ESPN3.